Red cards, expensive tickets and fixed tournaments… 6 big controversies of FIFA World Cup 2026, which made a lot of headlines

By Samira Vishwas On Jul 14, 2026

FIFA World Cup 2026: FIFA World Cup 2026 was historic in many ways. This mega tournament, with the participation of 48 teams for the first time, thoroughly entertained football fans around the world with exciting matches, new records, shocking results and memorable moments. However, along with the brilliant play, many controversies also emerged which continuously made headlines throughout the tournament.

Even before the tournament started, debate had erupted over the decision to increase the number of teams from 32 to 48. Critics were worried that the level of competition would be affected, but the excellent performances of teams like Cape Verde and Norway largely proved these fears wrong. Despite this, there were many incidents inside and outside the field, which brought the World Cup into the center of controversies.

What are the 6 big controversies?

1. The biggest controversy during the World Cup was regarding the ongoing war between America and Iran. The United States was one of the co-host countries of the tournament, while Iran’s group matches were also held in American cities. The Iranian team faced strict rules such as visa restrictions, frequent travel and limited time spent in America.

2. Just before the start of the World Cup, shoes, jerseys and other important items worth thousands of dollars were stolen from the England team’s practice camp. This incident raised serious questions regarding security and arrangements in front of the team management. Not only theft, but another security lapse came to light at England’s base camp in Kansas City. A person had reached the media center with a wrench.

🗣️: Jose mourinho on his opinion about yesterday match between Argentina v Egypt. I don’t really understand the game again especially the FIFA competitions, there is too much controversies from the referee and it is becoming a pattern.Go look at all the incidents in the match… pic.twitter.com/pkL0yysu0O
— LAJA 🇫🇷 (@madridlatest91) July 8, 2026

3. Somalia’s referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan was set to become the first Somali match official in World Cup history. However, despite being selected by FIFA, he was not allowed to enter the US and was stopped at Miami International Airport. This decision gave rise to debate at the international level.

4. Paraguay’s star player Miguel Almiron had to face a straight red card for speaking with his mouth covered in the match against Turkey. The decision was taken under FIFA’s new “face covering” rule and after a VAR review the referee sent him off the field.

5. The prices of World Cup tickets also became a cause of major controversy. The cost of tickets, travel and hotels for matches held in America, Canada and Mexico was considered beyond the reach of many fans. Critics said that due to such high costs it became difficult for ordinary football fans to watch the World Cup.

6. In the Round of 16, Argentina defeated Egypt 3-2 to reach the quarter-finals, but after the match, the Egyptian team raised strong objections to several decisions of the referee. Players and officials openly expressed their displeasure over the crucial decisions. Egyptian winger Zico Mustafa raised questions on the refereeing and called the tournament fixed. His statement sparked a new debate on social media and in the football world.