Arsenal and England soccer legend Ian Wright on Tuesday questioned whether the United States is behaving like a proper World Cup host after Somalia’s top referee Omar Artan was denied entry to the country.
A “World Cup of chaos,” Wright called the tournament which starts on Thursday.
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“Every few hours, it’s another story, another story about fans denied, players denied, officials denied, journalists denied, now refs?” Wright lamented in a TikTok video.
Watch Wright’s comments on TikTok.
“I’m laughing, but it’s not funny. It’s actually not funny. Something has to be said,” he continued.
Wright, who is working as a pundit for British broadcaster ITV during the tournament, noted this edition of the soccer competition features “the most expensive tickets ever, expensive accommodation, transport through the roof.”
He then asked: “It has to be said, is this how the hosts behave really? For the greatest game? The greatest tournament in the world, is this how the hosts behave?”
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Wright also questioned the relative lack of criticism directed at the United States, compared with the scrutiny Qatar faced before hosting the 2022 World Cup.
“How are we not hearing more?” he asked, adding: “Is this the spirit of football? Really?”
Wright said he felt sorry for American soccer fans who “are desperate for this” but must be “embarrassed” by the situation unfolding around the tournament.
“This is a World Cup of chaos,” he said. “Whoever wins this World Cup’s gonna have to go through some serious, serious chaos to get this done. I hope we can do it, but something has to be said.”
