Trump's Policies Pressure Iraq and Iran in the World Cup

Just 72 hours before the kickoff of the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, press reports revealed a series of complications surrounding the first expanded edition with 48 teams.

The most prominent of these is the policies of US President Donald Trump's administration, which have put the Iraqi and Iranian teams in a difficult position, in addition to climatic and labor challenges threatening the course of the tournament.

The concern is not just about football. There are serious concerns about the success of hosting in the United States specifically due to immigration authorities tightening entry for some delegations and fans. This tightening affected the travel of fans and journalists from Middle Eastern and African countries after their visa applications were denied.

In addition, the weather poses itself as a potential obstacle. High temperatures and expected thunderstorms in several American cities may affect players and fans.

Added to this is the threat of labor unions in the United States to strike before the event, raising questions about logistical services and organization within the stadiums.

The Spanish newspaper AS pointed out that Iran topped the news for reasons beyond the pitch. The Iranian team paid the price for regional tensions and US immigration policies.

The main issues: the team's camp was moved from Arizona inside the US to the Mexican city of Tijuana. The bigger crisis lies in the mechanism of player transport to perform group stage matches.

The team is in Group G with Belgium, Egypt, and New Zealand, but there is no clarity yet on how they will travel from Mexico to the United States. Reports talk about the delegation being forced to travel on the morning of the match and return in the evening after the game, which undermines the principle of rest and recovery.

The restrictions did not stop at Iran, but extended to include a number of Iranian, Middle Eastern, and African fans and journalists, whose visa applications were rejected despite having match tickets.

The Spanish newspaper confirmed that the 'Lions of Mesopotamia' fell victim to the same policies despite all players and delegation members obtaining US entry visas. The issues appeared in the details:

1. The official photographer of the team was sent back to Iraq from the airport despite being part of the delegation.

2. Forward Ayman Hussein was detained for a full 7 hours for questioning at Chicago airport upon arrival due to an identity matching error, causing him physical and psychological disruption before the matches.

The report concluded that these incidents give the impression that the Trump administration is dealing with double standards among the participating countries, even though all 48 teams will compete from June 11 to July 19 under one umbrella.