There is no other sporting event in the world that enjoys such a fast pace for the main event. Thus the ‘beautiful game’ has a universal appeal FIFA World Cup. However, the 2026 edition, which featured 48 teams for the first time, has struggled to keep up with the trend. For many fans, the excitement has led to anger, frustration and disappointment.Long before a ball is kicked, angry people already seem convinced that the biggest World Cup in history will go down for the worst.Negativity is not wrong. Exorbitant ticket prices, strict travel restrictions and visa delays and skyrocketing public transport costs don’t exactly help create a festive atmosphere. Nor, for that matter, is war, especially one waged by one of the three host nations.
More than three months after the US and Israeli invasion of Iran, the effects are being felt through a tournament that soccer fans usually can’t wait for. Holding the World Cup in the backdrop of military conflict is not a new phenomenon in itself. Finally, World War II put the tournament on hold for 12 years after 1938.The infamous 1969 ‘soccer war’ between El Salvador and Honduras cast an ugly shadow over the 1970 World Cup hosted by Mexico, as did the Falklands War between Argentina and Great Britain just days before the start of the 1982 World Cup in Spain.However, this is notably the first time that we have a host country at war with a participating country.This inevitably raised doubts about Iran’s participation in the tournament, suspicions that US President Donald Trump Helped to solve the problem. “Iran’s national soccer team is welcome at the World Cup, but I really don’t think it’s appropriate for them to be there for their lives and safety,” Trump wrote in a social media post in March.Unsurprisingly, Iran’s national team responded quickly to what they saw as a veiled threat. “The only country that can be excluded is one that merely holds the title of ‘host’ but lacks the ability to provide security to the teams participating in this global event,” the team posted on Instagram.What has unfolded since then has been nothing short of a PR disaster for FIFA, the sport’s world governing body.As far as Iran was concerned, football could wait. First was the matter of obtaining US visas, a process that Iranian players and team officials must have anticipated would be a battle in itself. And it certainly was.After weeks of uncertainty, all the players were granted visas last Friday – 10 days before their opening match against New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15. The drama, however, did not end there, as Iran’s football federation revealed that several members of the squad, including “key administrative and management members”, had been denied visas.As the Iranian team landed in Tijuana this week amid tight security, Iran’s ambassador to Mexico, Abolfazl Hashavat, said 15 members had not been granted visas to enter the United States, according to media reports. The US State Department’s response was a good indication of how the world’s most popular sport has turned into a political weapon, while FIFA stands by silently.“We will not allow the Iranian team to abuse this system to allow terrorists to enter the United States under false pretenses,” a State Department official told the media.Was it any surprise then to see Iran change its training base from Arizona to Mexico? If they have had to endure a hellish ride to reach the World Cup, the road ahead can hardly be more comfortable. The players may have received their visas, but the favorite added that they were granted on the strict condition that the team enter and exit US soil on the day of their scheduled matches.It’s not just Iranians, however, who have been treated harshly by US officials. Prominent Iraqi striker Ayman Hussein was detained and questioned by US Customs and Border Patrol agents for seven hours at a Chicago airport before being allowed to enter the country. However, the team’s official photographer was sent back. Likewise, Somali referee Omar Abdulkader Artan, who was named Africa’s best male referee in 2025, would have been the first man from his country to officiate at a World Cup.The development once again highlighted the Trump administration’s tough immigration policies, which have imposed a travel ban on citizens of 12 countries, including Somalia.Journalists and fans were not spared either. A BBC report cited an analysis of travel data as saying “fans from more than a quarter of World Cup participating countries face travel bans, severe restrictions or high rates of visa refusal”.Meanwhile, International Sports Press Association (AIPS) president Gianni Merlo has called on FIFA to intervene in a letter to the governing body, describing the visa situation that has affected many journalists, including those from Iran and African countries, as “unacceptable”.Criticism of the Trump administration’s hardline stance on immigration has come from prominent voices within New York, including the mayor. Zahran Mamdani Ruining how such actions clashed with the ethos of the tournament. “It’s disrespectful to what this tournament is supposed to be about,” Mamdani, a lifelong soccer fan, told reporters.Tough questions have been asked of FIFA by at least some sections of the media, including accusations of double standards over its divergent approach to Russia’s war with Ukraine and the US-Israeli attack on Iran. Some have also asked whether the U.S.’s strong reluctance to host Iran is different from Indonesia’s staunch opposition to Israel’s participation in the U-20 World Cup three years ago. Due to this, FIFA stripped the Southeast Asian country of hosting rights.TOI These questions were raised in an email sent to FIFA’s media team a week ago. At the time of going to press, the governing body was yet to respond.Even as the battle shows no sign of ending, fate may yet give a spicy twist to this World Cup saga. If both Iran and USA finish second in their groups, the two countries could meet in the round of 32. Keep in mind, this potential blockbuster will take place on July 3, the day before America celebrates its 250th birthday — a deadly prospect, perhaps even for the angry.The beautiful game, which is played in very ugly times!
