00:12Welcome back to From the South.
00:14The 2026 World Cup places Latin America on a geopolitical chessboard where football and politics become deeply interwined amid external
00:22pressures and internal fractures.
00:24The tournament, which begins this Thursday, reflects the contradiction between a promise of global integration and the reality of exclusion.
00:33At the same time, migration restrictions are preventing entire fan bases from accompanying their national teams,
00:39while visa bureaucracy is affecting the referees and coaching staff, creating an asthma fear of tension that goes beyond sport.
00:48In Mexico, controversial investments and security concerns in host cities, such as Guadalajara, are generating social resistance,
00:56while in the United States, surveillance by immigration authorities is shaping the conditions surrounding the event.
01:03As a result, Latin America enters this stage seeking cultural and geopolitical recognition,
01:09but within a framework dominated by global powers that control the spectacle.
01:13This scenario serves as a reminder of regional marginalization and highlights how the region is forced to negotiate legitimacy within
01:21an unequal global order.
01:31Thousands of people from various nationalities joined the volunteer group for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Guadalajara,
01:38one of the three Mexican cities that will host matches in the group stage.
01:42According to local organizers, more than one million people applied to join the World Cup volunteer program across the 16
01:50host cities.
01:51In Guadalajara alone, 32,000 applications were received, but only 3,800 candidates were selected.
01:59For many, the opportunity is about more than football.
02:03Colombian volunteer David Zamora described his excitement at being part of the tournament,
02:08saying his love for Mexico made the experience even more special.
02:12The 408,000 seats at Corona Stadium will host several national teams during the group stage,
02:19including Mexico, Spain, Uruguay, Colombia, South Korea, the Czech Republic, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
02:33And the Mexican president, Claudia Sheinbaum, commented also on the situation at the Benito Juárez International Airport.
02:44The airport is in perfect condition.
02:47The first phase of Mexico City's Benito Juárez Airport was completed, on time, and is operating very well.
02:55The immigration halls, for example, are something completely different.
02:59There is much more space to receive visitors.
03:02People can enter electronically, or if the passport does not have a chip, they can go through immigration officers, located
03:12at different points.
03:14The airport turned out very well after the World Cup.
03:17The second and third phases of renovation will begin.
03:24And Canada is ready to co-host the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but in Vancouver, public opinion remains divided ahead
03:31of the tournament.
03:32The event kicks off this Thursday and will run until July 19, featuring a record of 48 teams across venues
03:39in Canada,
03:40the United States and Mexico, with Vancouver hosting seven matches.
03:45The city's busy play stadium is ready for action with World Cup branding across downtown landmarks, including a large installation
03:53at Science World.
03:54Despite the festive atmosphere, many residents have raised concern over rising coasts, crowd levels, and whether local infrastructure can handle
04:03the influx of visitors.
04:05Public debate has also focused on ticket prices and the financial burden of hosting,
04:10with British Columbia's World Cup budget now estimated at C$729 million.
04:17Officials say the investment will bring long-term economic benefits, but questions remain as the countdown to kickoff continues.
04:33In this context, the Vice President of Global Marketing at Destination, Maya Lynch, highlighted the long-term economic impact of
04:41hosting the tournament.
04:44British Columbia and Vancouver alone, we are projecting a billion incremental revenue from hosting the World Cup for tourism,
04:54for the five years following these games.
04:58Crowds gathered at Mogadishu Stadium on Wednesday to welcome Somali referee Omar Artan amid public outrage after he was denied
05:06entry to the United States ahead of the FIFA World Cup.
05:09Supporters held photographs of Artan and applauded as he arrived at the stadium,
05:15with many describing him as a national source of pride and a symbol of achievement for Somali football.
05:20Presidents expressed frustration over the decisions to deprive him and the Somalian nation of representation of the global showpiece.
05:29Aged just 34-year-old, Artan has varied chances of making history at future tournaments.
05:35He has been recognized as Africa's number one referee.
05:43We were treated unfairly, and our boy was denied the opportunity to become the first Somali referee to attend the
05:50World Cup.
05:50He could have made history.
05:52Unfortunately, that did not happen.
05:55The United States and President Trump prevented it.
05:58We condemn that decision.
05:59We hope our international referee will have the opportunity to attend the next World Cup,
06:03and the one which will be held in Saudi Arabia.
06:06We hope our international referee will be held together.
06:07We do not have to land against criminals.
06:07We do not have to land against 북한 owners.
06:07We do not have our Community Thunder.
06:08We do not have to land against any other belongsidences of States.
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