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The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off in three months, but what was supposed to be one of the easiest tournaments in the tournament’s history seems to be growing more complex by the day.
Israel and the United States’ war against Iran has created great uncertainty around the world, and FIFA’s marquee event is already beginning to have an impact on policy and political issues swirling in the Americas.
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Al Jazeera Sports highlights five issues that the tournament, co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada, must resolve before the first match between Mexico and South Africa on June 11.
Will Iran participate in the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States?
Iran’s sports minister said Wednesday that the country will not be able to participate in the FIFA World Cup after the United States killed its supreme leader.
After Khamenei was assassinated on the first day of the US-Israel war, all of the national soccer team’s World Cup group matches were to be held in American cities.
The attacks by the United States and Israel began on February 28 and have so far killed 1,255 people and injured more than 12,000 in Iran.
Iran responded with attacks on Israel, U.S. military bases in neighboring Middle Eastern countries, and infrastructure in the region.
“Under no circumstances can we participate in the World Cup, given that this corrupt regime (US) assassinated our leader,” Sports Minister Ahmad Donyamali said on state television.
Will the US host Iran in the World Cup during wartime?
US President Donald Trump would “welcome” Iran’s participation in the World Cup, FIFA president Gianni Infantino said.
Ahead of Iran’s announcement, Infantino said on Instagram on Wednesday that despite the war in the Middle East, President Trump reiterated his position on Iranian involvement during the two sides’ meeting to discuss the upcoming tournament.
As of the tie, the United States and Iran could face off head-to-head in the tournament if they finish second in their respective groups. The result will be an elimination match on July 3rd in Dallas.
Meanwhile, FIFA could remove Iran from hosting the World Cup if the United States itself refuses to host an Iranian team, a fate Indonesia has already fallen into.
As hosts of the Men’s U-20 World Cup three years ago, Indonesia refused to welcome Israel. FIFA withdrew from hosting the tournament weeks before the scheduled first match and moved the tournament to Argentina.
What are the latest updates on Iraq’s qualifying playoff matches?
Iraq is facing major logistical problems due to the war ahead of its World Cup qualifiers on March 31st.
The winner of Iraq’s intercontinental play-off against Suriname or Bolivia will advance to the 2026 tournament, but Iraq’s airspace is closed until April 1 because of the war, and the teams are made up mainly of players from the domestic league.
National team head coach Graham Arnold asked FIFA on Monday to postpone the team’s qualifying rounds as teams struggle to gather enough for matches.
The match is scheduled to be held in Monterrey, Mexico, and the host country issued some visas to the Iraqi players at the Iraqi embassy in Qatar on March 8.
To complicate matters further, Mexico does not have an embassy in Iraq for the remaining players.
Mexico issued assurances to Iraq that it would “provide all necessary support for the documentation of members of the Iraqi national team.”
Violence in Mexico raises doubts about hosting the World Cup
While the United States and other countries face complex issues related to the war against Iran, Mexico faces its own domestic problems.
On February 23, the killing of a drug lord who led one of Mexico’s most powerful criminal organizations sparked a wave of violence in the country.
Immediately after news of his killing, armed groups torched cars and blocked highways in more than six states.
The first leg of the World Cup will be played in Mexico City, while the second leg will be played on the same day in Guadalajara, which was rocked by last month’s riots.
Mexican authorities then sought to assure FIFA officials and potential travelers that the tournament was safe.
On Friday, President Claudia Sheinbaum said Mexico would deploy up to 100,000 security forces during the tournament and assured soccer fans there was “no risk” in coming to Mexico.
What are the issues with ticket sales for the 2026 FIFA World Cup?
As with many global sports and entertainment events, the availability and price of standard seat World Cup tickets is a sore point for the public.
Almost two million tickets were sold in the first two sales stages of the 2026 edition, and demand was so high that tickets were more than 30 times oversubscribed.
The most expensive ticket for the opening game is advertised at almost $900, while tickets for the final game will cost more than $8,000.
Tickets to games involving major nations typically cost at least $200. The cheapest ticket for the finals is $2,000, and the best seats are $8,680.
Additionally, on FIFA’s official resale site, one Category 3 seat for the July 19 final in New Jersey was being advertised for an eye-watering $143,750, more than 41 times its original face value of $3,450.
