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The 2026 World Cup's expansion to 48 teams was meant to celebrate diversity, yet visa restrictions have prevented many nations from participating, raising safety worries and prompting a forthcoming report from the Sport & Rights Alliance.
Despite expanding to 48 teams, the United States' visa policies blocked many fans and workers from attending the tournament, sparking safety and inclusion debates.
Despite expanding the tournament to 48 teams, strict U.S. visa rules have blocked fans and workers from Morocco, Egypt, Jordan, Iraq and Uzbekistan, raising safety concerns for journalists and sparking a forthcoming human‑rights report.
Spain secured the 2026 World Cup title, becoming the first nation to hold both men's and women's world championships, while the event set attendance records and sparked debates over governance and human rights.
The 2026 World Cup, co‑hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada, delivered a record‑breaking tournament marked by Spain's historic double, soaring attendance and a wave of criticism over commercial and human‑rights issues.
The first World Cup to feature 48 teams and 104 matches is set across three nations, but rising expenses and restrictive travel policies are reshaping who can attend.
The global governing body has amended its rules to allow Afghan refugee women to represent their country on the world stage, a rare triumph amid systematic repression.