South Africa plan to arrive in Mexico almost a fortnight before the opening game of the World Cup in order to acclimatise to the ​altitude, coach Hugo Broos said.

Co-hosts Mexico open the tournament on June 11 ‌with a Group A match against South Africa at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City, which is 2,200m (7,216 feet) above sea level.

While most of the South African players are based at clubs ​in Johannesburg, which has an altitude of 1,753m, Broos says his squad need ​time to adjust to the conditions in Mexico before the opening ⁠game.

The squad will travel on May 30 to their base in Pachuca, which is ​around 200 metres higher than Mexico City. The city is less than 100 km ​from Mexico City.

“The first days it will be difficult to train at 100% because of the altitude, so that is what we will do in the second week,” Broos said in a radio ​interview.

South Africa plan to take on Nicaragua at home in a friendly on May ​29, although this is not confirmed, and are negotiating to have Puerto Rico as a warm-up ‌opponent ⁠for a second international scrimmage in Pachuca.

In their other World Cup group matches, South Africa will meet the Czech Republic in Atlanta on June 18 and South Korea in Monterrey on June 24, seeking to advance past the first round for the first time ​in their fourth World ​Cup appearance.

“It’s not ⁠an easy group for us. First of all, we will face the hosts in the opening game, at the Azteca Stadium, ​and it will be very difficult for us there,” Broos said ​earlier in ⁠the year.

But the veteran coach, who played for semi-finalists Belgium at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, has also previously predicted his side could cause some upsets at the tournament, ⁠which is ​also being played in Canada and the U.S.

South ​Africa and Mexico drew 1-1 at Soccer City in Johannesburg in the opening game of the 2010 World ​Cup, which South Africa hosted.

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Iran’s soccer team represents the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), not the ‌people of Iran, and FIFA should ban the team from participating in the upcoming World Cup, protesters gathered outside the FIFA Congress in Vancouver said on Thursday.

“This is not Iran; this is the Islamic Republic’s team. This is IRGC’s ​team,” said Pouria Mahmoudi, an organiser with Mission for My Homeland, which brought together about 30 ​protesters draped in Iranian flags and holding signs supporting Iranian opposition figure Reza ⁠Pahlavi.

Demonstration placards are seen outside the Vancouver Convention Centre during the 76th FIFA Congress REUTERS/Jennifer Gauthier

“They’re here not to represent Iran. They’re here to normalise what’s happening in Iran, the massacre in ​Iran. So, no, they should not be in the World Cup,” he told Reuters.

Iran have qualified for ​the June 11-July 19 tournament but their participation has been fraught, with Tehran requesting alternative venues for matches on U.S. soil amid the nation’s two-month old conflict with the United States and Israel.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino reiterated on Thursday that he ​expected Iran to participate and play matches in the U.S., and U.S. President Donald Trump later in ​the day said he agreed with Infantino’s position.

A protester holds demonstration placards outside the Vancouver Convention Centre during the 76th FIFA Congress REUTERS/Jennifer Gauthier

CRACKDOWN ON PROTESTERS

Anti-government protests in Iran in January were met with a brutal ‌crackdown ⁠by the state, in which thousands died. Mahmoudi said the carnage outweighed the desire of the players on the team to compete at the tournament.

“How about those are killed, the Iranian footballers, who are killed also? FIFA shouldn’t be quiet about them,” he said.

“People should speak up about the athletes who have been ​killed, especially the footballers. ​Russia was banned from ⁠the World Cup… so we expect FIFA to do the same.”

Iranian football federation officials, including president Mehdi Taj, were due to attend the gathering in Vancouver ​but turned back at Toronto airport after what Tehran described as “unacceptable behaviour” by Canadian ​immigration authorities, ⁠despite travelling with valid visas.

Canadian officials said entry decisions were made on a case-by-case basis and reiterated that individuals linked to the IRGC, which Ottawa designates as a terrorist organisation, were inadmissible.

Taj is a former member of ⁠the ​IRGC.

“The moment we heard that he was coming to Canada, ​we tried our best to deport him, and we’re happy that it happened,” Mahmoudi said.

“This is really great success for us. It ​shows that Iranian people, when they’re united, can do big things.”

-Reuters

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FIFA president Gianni Infantino insisted Iran would play World ​Cup matches in the United States as the soccer governing body’s Congress opened on Thursday without the country’s delegation, its absence ‌highlighting tensions and challenges surrounding the tournament.

“Let me start at the outset. Of course, Iran will be participating in the FIFA World Cup 2026. And of course Iran will play in the United States of America,” Infantino said.

“And the reason for that is very simple: we have to unite. It is my responsibility, our responsibility.”

U.S. President Donald Trump said ​he was “okay” with Iran playing at the World Cup.

“Well, if Gianni said it, I’m okay. Did Gianni say it?… You know what? ​Let them play. Well, Gianni’s fantastic, he’s a friend of mine. He talked about it,” Trump told reporters on ⁠Thursday.

“I said you do whatever you want. You can have them. You don’t have to have them. They probably have a good team. Do they ​have a good team?”

Iran have qualified for the June 11-July 19 tournament, but their participation has been fraught, with Tehran requesting alternative venues for matches ​on U.S. soil.

FIFA has rejected the request, insisting the schedule would stand.

Iranian football federation officials, including president Mehdi Taj, were due to attend the Congress but turned back at Toronto airport after what Tehran described as “unacceptable behaviour” by Canadian immigration authorities, despite travelling with valid visas.

The incident, which occurred on Tuesday, underscored the practical and political obstacles surrounding Iran’s participation ​in the World Cup, the most politically sensitive item on FIFA’s agenda since the U.S. and Israel launched a war against Iran in February.

A source ​with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters two members of the delegation could have attended the FIFA congress but chose not to after one of their delegation ‌members was denied ⁠entry into Canada.

Taj is a former member of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Canadian officials said entry decisions were made on a case-by-case basis and individuals linked to the IRGC, which Ottawa designates as a terrorist organisation, are inadmissible.

“I can provide the following assurances and facts. One is that, as you know, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and all those members have been listed as a terrorist organisation for several years,” Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said.

“The members are ​prohibited from coming. We have a ​series of screenings, and we take ⁠action. And no members have entered the country. Action has been taken appropriately.”

Iran’s absence deprived the congress of direct representation from a country whose presence at the 2026 World Cup is already shaping behind-the-scenes discussions, and the issue ​is particularly acute given the tournament’s cross-border nature.

The expanded 48-team World Cup, co-hosted by Canada, the United States ​and Mexico, will ⁠require teams, officials and support staff to move repeatedly between jurisdictions, raising the prospect that visa restrictions or diplomatic frictions could complicate planning for certain nations.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said last week Washington had no objections to Iranian players participating in the World Cup, but added that the players would not be allowed to ⁠bring with ​them people with ties to the IRGC.

Outside the convention centre, about 30 protesters draped in Iranian ​flags and holding signs gathered to voice their desire to see regime change in Iran. The protesters chanted their support for Iranian opposition figure Reza Pahlavi.

“IRGC is terrorists,” they chanted. “No deal ​with terrorists.” “Hey FIFA, oi FIFA, no deal with terrorists.”

-Reuters

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