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DALLAS — The Trump administration has elevated dozens of more complex World Cup visa decisions to senior leadership as officials try to balance FIFA commitments with national security concerns.
In an interview Sunday, White House World Cup task force Executive Director Andrew Giuliani said many high-profile or complicated visa cases have ultimately reached his desk for a final determination.
“Dozens, I would say dozens,” Giuliani said when asked how many edge cases had required senior-level review. He also suggested that some applicants who might otherwise face difficulties entering the country have received additional consideration because of U.S. commitments tied to hosting the World Cup.
“That’s part of the contract the U.S. government signed with FIFA,” Giuliani said.
In light of President Donald Trump’s tough border policies, these details provide a glimpse into the administration’s process of reviewing visas ahead of the largest World Cup tournament in history — a task that’s involved the State Department, Department of Homeland Security and the White House World Cup task force to keep the process moving.
Giuliani defended the decision to deny entry to Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, saying it was made by Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin.
While declining to discuss specific intelligence, he said Artan had been communicating with “bad actors” shortly before he was scheduled to travel to the U.S.
Giuliani had conversations with FIFA about Artan’s case because the Somali is one of the organization’s referees.
“We talked about it, obviously, right? I mean, it’s one of their referees,” Giuliani said.
“There are some things we can’t talk about,” Giuliani said. “We want all those players and coaches to come to the United States of America, and officials and referees, as long as they’re not communicating and coordinating with bad actors.”
Giuliani emphasized that the overwhelming majority of players, coaches, referees and officials have received visas without issue.
Still, Giuliani said the administration’s red line remains national security. Referencing broader concerns about individuals linked to terrorist organizations, he said the World Cup would not serve as a justification for admitting people deemed security risks.
“The first thing that is so key to this tournament being successful is the national security of the country,” Giuliani said. “We’re not going to let the World Cup be the excuse.”
John Malkovich, NBA champion Toni Kukoč and the Croatian men’s soccer legend Luka Modrić walk into a bar.
It’s not the start of a joke, that was the scene at the AKA Hotel in Alexandria, Va., Saturday evening.
The Croatian National Tourist Board hosted a boozy reception for its country’s soccer team as it competes in the 2026 FIFA World Cup this summer, drawing a mix of athletes, business leaders, diplomats and Croatian-American community members to the glitzy rooftop of the hotel just outside Washington.
For Croatia, which reached the final in 2018 and semifinals in 2022, the tournament is about more than soccer. It is one of the country’s most effective soft power tools, a chance for a nation of fewer than four million people to project its brand to a global audience and translate sporting success into tourism, investment and cultural influence.
“This opportunity is a huge push forward for a promotion of our country,” said Kristjan Staničić, director of the Croatian National Tourist Board, in an interview.
Staničić said the U.S. has become one of Croatia’s most important tourism markets, with American visitors continuing to rise since the pandemic. American travelers, he said, are increasingly discovering Croatia as a year-round destination rather than simply a shimmering summer stop along the Adriatic coast.
“The FIFA World Cup is the most popular sport[ing] event in the world,” Staničić said. “This will for sure make Croatia much, much more visible these days, and in these next few months. We’re open for everybody, especially for American tourists.”
Croatian officials also spent part of the evening highlighting the country’s growing roster of celebrity boosters. Tourism and Sports Minister Tonči Glavina touted what he described as an all-star lineup of ambassadors for Croatian tourism, name-checking athletes like LeBron James, Rafael Nadal and Kyle Kuzma as prominent supporters helping raise the country’s profile abroad.
The celebrity connections continued on stage.
Malkovich, who was granted his Croatian passport at the event, appeared alongside director Pete Radovich, a longtime CBS Sports executive, to promote an upcoming project with the Croatian National Tourist Board.
Radovich recounted helping secure Croatian citizenship for football coach Bill Belichick before telling a story about a dinner with former NFL player Jason Kelce.
After Radovich told Kelce he was from Croatia, the former NFL star initially guessed his family’s roots were from “Romania, Hungary, somewhere around there.” The next day, Radovich said, Kelce texted him: “Thanks for last night. Great conversation. By the way, I talked to my mom, we’re Croatian.” Radovich said he immediately had a follow-up question: Why not apply for citizenship, too? (No word yet if Kelce has taken Radovich up on his offer.)
As for Croatia’s chances on the field — they’re slated to face England on Wednesday in Arlington, Texas — Staničić wasn’t lacking confidence.
“I hope there aren’t any injuries,” he said. “I think they’re the best. They’re going to the final.”
Haiti has the highest level of perceived corruption of any country taking part in the World Cup, with Norway and New Zealand scoring lowest (something New Zealand might have to get used to!). These figures came from Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index.
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