World Cup
Iran World Cup players granted visas to enter the US, says White House official
Iran’s World Cup soccer players have been granted visas to enter the United States, a White House official told Reuters on Friday, just 10 days before their first match in Los Angeles amid a conflict between the two countries.
Iran’s ambassador to Mexico, Abolfazl Pasandideh, said late on Thursday the squad had still not received their U.S. visas, but these were granted overnight, the White House official said.
A spokesman for Iran’s World Cup federation could not be immediately reached for comment.
Tehran negotiated a last-minute move of the team’s base from Arizona to Tijuana in Mexico due to the visa issues and a growing feeling in Iran that the squad’s presence in the United States should be kept to a minimum.
They are scheduled to land in Tijuana early Sunday morning.
Iran are due to play their first Group G match on June 15 against New Zealand in Los Angeles, where they will also face Belgium before taking on Egypt in Seattle.
The Iran war has turned the World Cup – the biggest global sporting event – into a geopolitical contest, with both sides appearing to use the tournament for political posturing.
It is the first World Cup, since its inception in 1930, in which a host nation is set to receive a country it is at war with.
The U.S. has never formally said it did not want the Iran team to stay on its territory, ambassador Pasandideh said.
However, Secretary of State Marco Rubio told lawmakers on Tuesday the U.S. would not allow Iran to include in its World Cup delegation individuals linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guards, a powerful branch of the Iranian armed forces.
That could apply to several players in the Iran squad who have completed mandatory military service with the group.
The president of Iran’s soccer federation, Mehdi Taj, was denied entry for the tournament draw in Washington in December. Taj is a former commander in the Revolutionary Guards.
Iran’s desire to compete in the World Cup underscores its efforts to resolve the war with Washington, Pasandideh said.
“Iran’s participation in the World Cup — even on the soil of what is seen as its enemy — shows that Iran seeks peace,” Pasandideh said, speaking through a Spanish interpreter at the Iranian embassy in Mexico City.
Progress in peace talks between Iran and the U.S. has been slow, with both sides seemingly inching toward an interim agreement even as they continue to carry out military strikes.
-Reuters
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Global music superstar Shakira will headline the opening ceremony of the FIFA World Cup 2026 in Mexico City, FIFA announced on Friday, with the Colombian singer set to perform the tournament’s official song, “Dai Dai.”
The opening ceremony will take place at Estadio Azteca on Thursday, 90 minutes before the opening match between Mexico and South Africa.
Shakira will be joined on stage by Nigerian Afrobeats star Burna Boy, one of the featured artists on “Dai Dai,” the official anthem of the tournament. The title is derived from an Italian phrase meaning “let’s go” or “come on,” capturing the spirit and excitement of football’s biggest event.
The star-studded show will also feature performances from fellow Colombian artist J Balvin and South African sensation Tyla, underscoring FIFA’s effort to showcase musical talent from across the globe.
The announcement adds another milestone to Shakira’s long association with the FIFA World Cup. The singer famously performed the 2010 World Cup anthem “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa),” which became one of the most successful football songs of all time.
FIFA also confirmed that Shakira will feature prominently later in the tournament, having been selected to perform at the first-ever FIFA World Cup final halftime show. The historic event is scheduled to take place at MetLife Stadium, marking a new entertainme26,nt dimension for the world’s biggest sporting event.
The FIFA World Cup 20 jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada, will be the largest edition of the tournament, featuring 48 teams and 104 matches. Organisers expect the opening ceremony to set the tone for a month-long celebration of football, music and culture across North America.
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Soccer fans looking to bring the party to World Cup games will have to go without vuvuzelas, with FIFA banning the plastic horns from venues in the U.S., Canada and Mexico in its stadium code of conduct.
Vuvuzelas, a horn made with a long plastic shell, are a staple of South African soccer matches and took the world by storm at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. But they have drawn criticism over their monotonous droning sound, often likened to a swarm of bees
Along with vuvuzelas, whistles, air horns and other excessively loud noise-making devices are prohibited from all 16 World Cup venues, according to FIFA’s stadium code of conduct.
Instruments that emit laser beams, laser pointers or similar emissions are also banned.
The list of prohibited items and behaviours goes on to state that body paint and body tattoos do not constitute clothing. Streaking, flashing or removing clothing to reveal intimate body parts is also prohibited.
FIFA has also banned spectators from bringing reusable water bottles into venues, citing safety concerns.
Attendees who violate the rules can be refused entry or removed from the stadium, the code says.
The expanded 48-team World Cup, hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico, runs from June 11 to July 19. Mexico will open the tournament against South Africa on June 11.
-Reuters
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France brushed aside concerns after suffering a surprise 2-1 defeat by Côte d’Ivoire in a World Cup warm-up match on Thursday, insisting the setback would serve as a useful reminder rather than a cause for alarm ahead of the tournament.
Didier Deschamps’ side led through a superb first-half goal from Rayan Cherki but were overrun after the break as Guela Doue and Amad Diallo turned the game around for the Elephants in Nantes.
With France opening their World Cup campaign against Senegal in New York on June 16, midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni said the result should be viewed in the context of preparations rather than as a warning sign.
“It’s a pity to lose but we’re in a preparation phase; we stay confident,” Tchouameni said.
“There is no conclusion to draw from this game, even if we had won it. We will be ready.”
France fielded an experimental side, with several Paris Saint-Germain players rested after last weekend’s Champions League final triumph, and made numerous changes after halftime.
Defender Lucas Hernandez also played down the significance of the defeat.
“We always want to win, but we’re in a phase of preparation, and there were a lot of substitutions,” Hernandez said.
“We’re in good spirits.”
Deschamps, however, admitted his side had lost control of the contest after an encouraging opening 45 minutes and warned that France would face opponents with similar qualities in the United States.
“A defeat is never pleasant, even if we did some good things in the first half,” Deschamps said.
“In the second half, we made a lot of changes, but that’s no excuse. We were not as good after the break, and they brought a lot of pace.
“We will face the same type of team on June 16.”
The French coach said the result could prove useful if it prevented his players from becoming complacent before the tournament.
“It’s a reminder, if we needed one, not to think we’re better than we are,” he said, with Cherki adding: “It’s a little warning, and I can tell you we’re not going to the World Cup thinking we’re favourites, but we’re going to crush everyone.”
-Reuters
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