World Cup 2026 kicks off: Political shadow too, Iran visa issue; Great pressure on US, the co-arbiter

The FIFA World Cup 2026 co-hosted by Mexico, USA and Canada will begin today in Mexico City. Despite the expanded format of 48 teams, political concerns such as high ticket prices, West Asian regional conflicts and immigration-related restrictions cast a shadow over the competition.

A record nine teams from the West Asia and North Africa (MENA) region are participating this time. Iraq returns to the world stage after four decades as Jordan reaches the top-flight stage for the first time. Qatar will host the 2022 World Cup for the second time.

At the same time, many restrictions have become a challenge for the Iranian team. Denied a base camp in the United States, the soldiers camped in Mexico. Reports have emerged that some of the team's staff have been denied US visas and Iran's ticket allocation has been lifted ahead of the opening match against New Zealand on June 15 in Los Angeles. Sources said the golden '#168' badge worn by the team refers to those killed in the February 28 attack.

"It's interesting to note how much pro-war rhetoric is being talked about in press conferences these days, and what concerns people from the Gulf have," said Paul Post, a professor at the University of Chicago. "In earlier interviews in the context of the U.S.-Iran conflict, the game expressed brotherhood; competition could build a bridge to reconciliation," recalls David Kilpatrick, a soccer historian at Mercy University in New York.

Immigration restrictions have also sparked debate in recent days. News that some team staff and officials have been denied entry at US airports. Four of the 39 countries under a full or partial US travel ban—Iran, Haiti, Ivory Coast, Senegal—are playing in this World Cup. Immigration enforcement officers are said to be on duty in the arenas where the competition will be held, pending trade agreement updates between the co-arbitrated nations. "Current world politics are taking center stage at this World Cup," pointed out Paul Post.

Kilpatrick notes that holding the final at the Meadowlands Stadium in New Jersey is a historic moment for a world sporting event so close to the UN headquarters.

The tournament's new format features 48 teams from six confederations, three referee nations, and 16 venues across North America. The top two teams in each group and the best eight third-placed teams will advance to the 32-team knockout round.

Morocco is considered to have the most star power among the MENA teams—along with Real Madrid midfielder Brahim Diaz, Lille's Ayoub Bouadi and Paris Saint-Germain captain Ashraf Hakimi. Saudi Arabia's Al Hilal winger Salim Al-Tawsari is looking to repeat his triumph over Argentina in 2022. Egypt's Mohamed Salah, who is out of contract, is aiming to give the team their first win on the world stage.

Argentina, Spain, France, Portugal, Brazil and England are widely touted as the front-runners to lift the trophy on July 19.

Speculations and expectations on co-host USA are high. Having exited in the round of 16 in 2022, they are coming with young attacking talents like Haji Wright and Christian Pulisic this time around. "Those agents of persistence and determination that were there before are looking a little less on the team," notes Kilpatrick. Team USA captain Tim Ream told reporters at the camp in Irvine, Calif., "It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so there's a lot of expectation, a lot of pressure. Even so, we have to enjoy the moment." Two of America's three group matches are televised in prime time.

Only two teams have ever made it out of the co-hosts — South Africa in 2010 and Qatar in 2022. Against this backdrop, the United States has hired former Tottenham Hotspur and PSG coach Mauricio Pochettino. Getting to the quarter-finals is not enough; The trophy is the goal, he said in a media interaction. Even after the recent 2–1 loss to Germany, he insisted, "The enthusiasm of the fans energizes the team and the players are starting to feel it on the field."

In all of these, the answer lies on the racing stage itself. But it is clear that the 2026 World Cup, along with footballing grandeur, will also reflect the political picture of our time.