By Reinaldo Oliveros
The request to grant a special police escort to FIFA president Gianni Infantino was rejected by Vancouver authorities during the body’s official meetings held this week in the Canadian city.
The Vancouver Police Department confirmed the decision through a statement issued by Deputy Chief Don Chapman, who explained that these types of operations are only granted to heads of state or figures with international diplomatic protection.
“The official motorcades where traffic stops are reserved for heads of state,” Chapman noted. In addition, he indicated that FIFA executives do not comply with the standards of Internationally Protected Persons (IPP), a necessary condition to authorize street closures, traffic light interruptions and other special traffic measures.
FIFA requested a “level 4” ESCORT for Infantino while he is in Vancouver.
Prater idea: This level of escort is 1 level below in the Pope more equivalent to the president of the United States and higher than the prime minister in Canada.
FIFA’s request was DENIED. pic.twitter.com/qSuuqPXkuj
— DataFut (@DataFutebol) April 28, 2026
The controversy arose in the midst of organizational meetings related to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, a tournament that will be jointly organized by Canada, United States and Mexico between June 11 and July 19, 2026.
Given the situation, a FIFA spokesperson clarified that the organization never specifically requested a high-level police escort for Infantino and assured that the leader was not directly involved in any request related to transportation or security during the 76th FIFA Congress.
According to the same source, the request was made by FWC26 Canada, the local World Cup organizing group, following similar protocols used in other international events.
Canadian Police will not have privileges for anyone
From the office of Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim, it was also confirmed that there will be no police caravan with special privileges or extraordinary deployments of emergency response teams.
“Any transportation arrangements will be appropriate, measured and consistent with how Vancouver hosts large international events,” the mayor’s office said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Toronto police announced that there are no automatic plans to offer VIP escorts during the World Cup either. Spokesperson Stephanie Sayer explained that each request will be evaluated individually, although security accompaniments could be authorized for national teams or specific officials in cases where there are risks of crowds or public safety problems.
The decision made in Vancouver reflects the prudent approach of Canadian authorities towards security protocols for the 2026 World Cup, an event that will mobilize millions of fans and will require unprecedented coordination between police forces and sports organizers.