‘Like criminals…’: USA, FIFA face backlash over ‘humiliating’ treatment of Senegal and Uzbekistan players – Firstpost

The United States and FIFA have come under heavy criticism after reports emerged that players from Senegal and Uzbekistan were subjected to intense security screenings upon arriving for the FIFA World Cup.

According to multiple reports, members of the Senegal national team were forced to undergo detailed bag inspections directly on the airport tarmac in San Antonio. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan’s squad reportedly faced drug-sniffing dogs and metal detector checks upon arriving at their training venue in New York.

Images and videos of the screenings quickly spread across social media, triggering outrage among football fans. Many accused American authorities of treating international footballers “like criminals” rather than guests arriving for one of the world’s biggest sporting events.

One social media user questioned whether the treatment was selective. “Did any white teams get treated like this, or is this treatment reserved for Senegal? Bizarre,” the user wrote. Others directed their anger at FIFA, accusing world football’s governing body of remaining silent while players from certain countries faced what many described as humiliating treatment.

🇸🇳Trato humillante de estadounidenses a la selección de Senegal
👉 Las imágenes de la llegada de la selección nacional de fútbol de Senegal a EEUU muestran un trato inapropiado y humillante por parte de las autoridades estadounidenses. pic.twitter.com/pfIL4Rkl7k

— HispanTV (@Nexo_Latino) June 8, 2026

Did any white teams get treated like this, or is this treatment reserved for Senegal? Bizarre https://t.co/vG3M2tlpYC

— Leyla Hamed (@leylahamed) June 8, 2026

The Senegalese 🇸🇳 delegation gets this treatment on arrival in the USA. Full tarmac searches, shoes off, bags turned inside out like criminals.

This is straight up humiliation and a disgrace. They’d never put white boys through the same.pic.twitter.com/KULjwTsCQI

— World Cup 2026 Daily (@TotalFootball) June 8, 2026

🇸🇳🇺🇸🏆🔥 MUNDIAL 2026:

Así fue recibida la selección de Senegal en Estados Unidos.

Los jugadores y el staff de Senegal fueron registrados minuciosamente en la pista de aterrizaje en Carolina del Norte, de cara al Mundial 2026, como parte de un control rutinario de aduanas y… pic.twitter.com/iVyzFuVvgG

— Alerta Mundial (@AlertaMundoNews) June 8, 2026

Trump’s travel restrictions to be blamed?

The controversy grew further when reports surfaced that Iraqi striker Aymen Hussein was held for seven hours at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport. The Iraqi team’s photographer was reportedly denied entry into the country after undergoing a screening process that lasted around ten hours. In another incident, award-winning
Somali referee Omar Artan was denied entry into the US for unknown reasons.

The issue has also highlighted wider concerns about travel restrictions affecting the tournament. US President Donald Trump’s administration has imposed visa bans and tighter restrictions on several countries, including Senegal, Ivory Coast, Haiti and Iran, all of whom have qualified for the World Cup.

Although players and official delegations received special clearance to enter the United States, many supporters from those countries have struggled to obtain visas. According to analysis by the BBC, fans from more than a quarter of the nations participating in the World Cup are facing travel bans, visa restrictions and high rejection rates.