Canada deprives FIFA president of official motorcades.. You are not a head of state for traffic to stop for you in Vancouver

The issue of security escort for the President of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA), Gianni Infantino, sparked wide controversy in the Canadian city of Vancouver, coinciding with the start of the 76th FIFA Congress, where local police settled their position by refusing to grant Infantino "heads of state" privileges.

Canadian Police: Infantino is not an "internationally protected person"

Vancouver police officially announced that they would not provide a police escort for Infantino that includes closing roads or bypassing traffic lights. Deputy Police Chief, Don Chapman, stated in a firm declaration:

"Official motorcades that require stopping traffic are exclusively reserved for heads of state. Since FIFA officials do not meet the criteria for internationally protected persons, the request was rejected."

FIFA Denies: We Did Not Request a "Presidential Motorcade"

For its part, the International Federation of Association Football quickly denied submitting any such request. FIFA clarified via its official account on the "X" platform:

• Denial of Request: The Federation never requested a specific level of police motorcade for Infantino.

• Lack of Knowledge: The FIFA president was not aware of any security requests related to his transportation and was not involved in its arrangements.

Vancouver Congress.. Hot Topics Ahead of World Cup 2026

This incident comes at a sensitive time, as the 211 member associations gather in Vancouver about a month and a half before the start of the 2026 World Cup, which will be hosted by Canada, the United States, and Mexico.

Key topics on the Congress agenda:

1. World Cup Preparations: Assessing the final readiness of the Canadian cities of Vancouver and Toronto.

2. Iran's Participation: Discussing fundamental issues related to the Iranian national team's participation in the upcoming tournament.

3. Security and Logistics: Coordinating work between the three host countries to ensure the smoothest edition in the tournament's history.

Quick Facts about World Cup 2026:

• Tournament Dates: From 11 June to 10 July 2026.

• Canadian Host Cities: Vancouver and Toronto.

• Number of Participating Teams: 48 national teams for the first time in history.