Norway Coach Criticizes US Over Restrictions on Players and Officials at World Cup 2026

Ståle Solbakken, the coach of Norway's national football team set to compete in the 2026 World Cup, openly criticized the United States for its restrictive measures affecting player and referee participation in the tournament.

Last week, US authorities sparked widespread controversy after temporarily detaining several players, including Iraq's Ayman Hussein and Switzerland's Breel Embolo, as well as preventing Somali referee Omar Artan from entering the country. Artan was deported immediately upon arrival at Miami airport, barring him from officiating in the World Cup.

US President Donald Trump's visa policies have drawn sharp criticism, while FIFA President Gianni Infantino remarked that FIFA is a sports organization, not a government, and thus cannot prevent certain governmental decisions.

In contrast to many coaches who remained silent, Solbakken spoke candidly about the situation surrounding the 2026 World Cup, labeling some involved parties as "hypocrites" and condemning the silence of football authorities regarding these incidents.

When asked about the case of Ayman Hussein, the Iraqi striker who was interrogated for hours upon arrival in the US, Solbakken stated, "Many things could have been handled differently, but we are all hypocrites."

During a press conference in Greensboro, North Carolina, where Norway is holding its training camp, Solbakken was questioned about Hussein, whose team will face Norway in the tournament.

He remarked, "We all agree that this is pointless, and many things could have been done differently, but we all pretend with hypocrisy," also referencing the barring of Somali referee Omar Artan from entering the US to officiate at the World Cup.

Solbakken, formerly the coach of Copenhagen, added, "The World Cup is being held here, and we are here just to play football."

According to CBS, Iraqi player Ayman Hussein was detained for seven hours last Friday by US Customs and Border Protection agents at Chicago's Orange County Airport upon arriving with his national team.

Norway will be participating in the World Cup for the first time since 1998. Their group stage matches include facing Iraq on June 16, Senegal on June 22, and France on June 26.