The 2026 World Cup is here with the opening game between Mexico and South Africa kicking off very shortly after a star-studded opening ceremony kicked off the tournament. The United States, Mexico and Canada are set to welcome 48 teams for a festival of football across the next six weeks of action.
And the build-up to this year’s tournament has been shrouded in controversy, with visa issues for those travelling to the States just one of the problems. Meanwhile, Iran released a new statement threatening to halt their matches under certain conditions, while Somalian referee Omar Artan has since returned home after he was refused entry to the USA on Tuesday.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has urged critics to “chill and relax” in response to the backlash his organisation have faced. He spoke on several topics at a press conference on Wednesday which saw him claim that he would have driven the Iranian national team bus from Tehran to the United States in order to get them to the World Cup.
