2026 FIFA WORLD CUP & US POLITICS

الذكرى الـ250 للاستقلال تعيد الجدل حول الهوية الأمريكية

Jul 1, 2026, 01:14 PM

The United States is preparing to celebrate the 250th anniversary of its independence on July 4, an occasion that revives debate over American national identity amid growing tension between the country's realities and constitutional ideals.

Un Mundial por si acaso

Jun 29, 2026, 03:30 AM

An EL PAÍS column argues that FIFA seems determined to convince us that football needs added spectacle to be entertaining. It offers a sceptical take on the expanded World Cup format as a 'just-in-case' tournament.

Mondial-2026 : Un arbitre somalien refoulé à Los Angeles

Jun 9, 2026, 08:37 PM

Omar Artan, a Somali official named Africa's best referee last year, was denied entry to the United States on arrival in Los Angeles. FIFA accepted he will not officiate at the 2026 World Cup, sparking indignation in Somalia and renewed scrutiny of US entry restrictions ahead of the tournament.

Jun 9, 2026, 05:55 PM

With Somali referee Omar Artan denied entry to the United States and concerns over staff and supporters being turned back, questions are growing over whether FIFA has lost control of its own World Cup. The disruptions highlight tensions between the tournament and US immigration policy.

Jun 9, 2026, 05:50 PM

FIFA says it is working to 'maximise opportunities for Iranian supporters to attend matches' after Iran's World Cup group-stage ticket allocation was revoked just days before the tournament. Football's governing body is scrambling to resolve the issue.

هل يكون مونديال 2026 بداية نهاية كأس العالم بتاريخها المعروف؟

Jun 9, 2026, 05:21 PM

Debate is mounting ahead of the 2026 World Cup over off-pitch issues—soaring ticket prices, the difficulties teams and fans face getting into the US, and the political row over American immigration and security policies. Some ask whether the tournament marks the beginning of the end of the World Cup as we know it.

منتخب إيران يدعو فيفا لتطبيق قاعدة 8% في المونديال

Jun 9, 2026, 04:52 PM

Two days before the 2026 World Cup, a fresh crisis has erupted around Iran's national team, which is calling on FIFA to apply the '8% rule', amid demands for the governing body to intervene and questions over how non-sporting factors are affecting the tournament.

المخبر الاقتصادي: هل يتحول المونديال إلى كابوس مالي للمدن الأمريكية؟

Jun 9, 2026, 03:59 PM

An episode of 'The Economic Informer', presented by Ashraf Ibrahim, highlighted growing criticism within the United States of how the 2026 World Cup is being organised and hosted, asking whether it could turn into a financial nightmare for American cities.

Jun 9, 2026, 03:44 PM

World Cup organisers revoked Iran's allocation of fan tickets days before the tournament, the country's football federation has said, shutting Iranian supporters out of the event.

Mondial 2026 : quand l'administration Trump complique le bon déroulement de la fête

Jun 9, 2026, 03:15 PM

Two days before the 2026 World Cup opens, US immigration policy is already causing friction. A Somali referee was turned away at the border and Iranian spectators were denied tickets, complicating the tournament hosted on American soil.

Mondial 2026 : un arbitre somalien écarté après s'être vu refuser l'entrée aux États-Unis

Jun 9, 2026, 02:56 PM

Somali referee Omar Artan, turned back on his arrival in the United States on Saturday, will not officiate at the World Cup due to start Thursday, FIFA told AFP. The reasons for barring Artan, who has refereed at the Africa Cup of Nations, remain unknown.

Jun 9, 2026, 01:43 PM

Somali referee Omar Artan says he held the 'right papers' and the 'right visa' but was subjected to an 11-hour immigration interview before being denied entry to the United States for the World Cup. His account adds to scrutiny of how US authorities are handling tournament arrivals.

El árbitro somalí Omar Artan se perderá el Mundial al prohibirle la entrada a Estados Unidos

Jun 9, 2026, 11:18 AM

Somali referee Omar Artan will miss the World Cup after being denied entry to the United States. He was turned away at Miami International Airport over a problem with the background-check process; Somalia is one of the countries whose citizens face a full US travel ban.

Jun 8, 2026, 09:26 PM

The US denied entry to a Somali referee due to officiate at the World Cup and subjected the Senegal team to an extensive search on arrival, the latest friction over access to the tournament.

Jun 7, 2026, 11:00 PM

Football fans around the world say US travel bans and visa restrictions are making them feel excluded from the World Cup—'a World Cup for them, not us'. The complaints deepen concerns about access to the US-hosted tournament.

Jun 7, 2026, 01:24 PM

Iran's national football team landed in Mexico amid a US visa row. All of Iran's group games are in the US, but players and support staff will have to fly in and out of the country on match days.

Mondial 2026 : l'équipe iranienne de football attendue au Mexique

Jun 7, 2026, 09:28 AM

Iran's national football team is expected in Mexico, its World Cup base camp, despite the United States, where it is to play its opening matches, refusing visas to some members of its staff.

États-Unis, Mexique, Canada : trois hôtes et trois passions du foot au Mondial 2026

Jun 7, 2026, 07:24 AM

For the first time in World Cup history, the tournament will be held across three countries. The United States, Mexico and Canada share the organization of football's flagship competition.

Norteamérica a prueba: la cuenta atrás de un Mundial (casi) listo

Jun 7, 2026, 03:30 AM

Four days before the tournament starts, the three host countries accelerate preparations while facing challenges.

Anfitriones enemigos

Jun 7, 2026, 03:30 AM

Opinion: 'Hispanics' pay fortunes to sing Cielito Lindo and wave the Mexican tricolor in the stands of the World Cup.

Todas las selecciones del Mundial 2026 en Estados Unidos, Canadá y México

Jun 5, 2026, 04:08 PM

The largest World Cup in history pits 48 national teams against each other over five weeks.

Los precios de las entradas del Mundial provocan que los hinchas deban recortar en todo lo demás

Jun 3, 2026, 03:30 AM

FIFA has turned the 2026 tournament into an economic challenge for the average fan, with ticket prices forcing supporters to cut back elsewhere.

ما هو الاتفاق الجديد بين فيفا ويوتيوب لكأس العالم 2026؟

Mar 17, 2026, 03:37 PM

FIFA has announced a strategic partnership with YouTube aimed at expanding the global reach of the 2026 World Cup. The deal marks a significant step in the federation's efforts to grow its digital audience ahead of the tournament co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Sheinbaum estudia con la FIFA que Irán pueda jugar sus partidos en México

Mar 17, 2026, 03:11 PM

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum is in talks with FIFA about the possibility of hosting Iran's matches at the 2026 World Cup, after the Trump administration barred the Iranian national team from playing on US soil. Sheinbaum stressed that Mexico maintains diplomatic relations with all nations and is open to serving as an alternative venue. The development highlights the political complications facing the tri-nation World Cup co-hosted by the US, Mexico and Canada.

Mondial 2026 : zoom sur les stades de la compétition au États-Unis, au Canada et au Mexique

Mar 17, 2026, 02:17 PM

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will make history as the first edition hosted across three countries — the United States, Canada and Mexico. A total of 104 matches will be played across 16 stadiums spread throughout North America. This overview highlights each of the selected venues and their key features.

Los fondos acreedores por el recorte de las renovables rastrean bienes españoles en el Mundial de fútbol de EE UU

Mar 17, 2026, 04:15 AM

Investment funds that acquired litigation rights related to Spain's cuts to renewable energy subsidies are now tracking Spanish state assets linked to the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States. The funds have requested information from financial institutions and companies involved in the tournament, aiming to enforce unpaid international arbitration awards against Spain. This latest move highlights the ongoing legal and financial battle between Spain and foreign investors over its controversial rollback of green energy incentives.

Mexico City breaks Guinness Record with giant football training session

Mar 16, 2026, 05:23 PM

Mexico City set a new Guinness World Record for the largest football training session, with 9,500 participants gathering at the iconic Zocalo square. The event was held in the build-up to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, co-hosted by Mexico, the United States and Canada. The mass session reflected the host nation's growing excitement ahead of the tournament.