While the FIFA World Cup is always an occasion to unite people from across the globe, it often also serves to highlight certain geopolitical issues within a hosting country. This has certainly been the case in the most recent editions, held in Russia and Qatar in 2018 and 2022, and is once more prominent for co-hosts the United States ahead of the 2026 tournament.

At the front and centre of any discussion about the competition this summer is the ongoing conflict between the US and Iran. With games to come against New Zealand, Belgium and Egypt – all to be played in American cities – it was unclear until recently if the Middle Eastern nation would even make it to the World Cup.

A number of nations have had issues coming into North America this week, with Iraqi star striker Aymen Hussein held and questioned for nearly seven ​hours at Chicago’s O’Hare airport after arriving with his teammates ‌early on Saturday morning. Iran have also faced problems, as many of their staff members have been denied entry into the US with their visa applications rejected.

Iran Given Large Farewell Ceremony in Tehran Ahead of World Cup

Amid all the off-field issues, the Iranian squad departed for North America this week as they were given a state farewell ceremony in Tehran. According to reports from Euro News, the World Cup stars were met with Hezbollah flags and anti-US chants from those gathered to say goodbye. Specifically, members of the crowd were said to have chanted:

The send-off, which featured the unveiling of Iran’s official 2026 World Cup kit, drew such large crowds that players were unable to leave the team buses at first. Some Iranian stars took to the stage to speak of “patriotism” in front of regime supporters who regularly attend state-organised events.

Head of the Iranian Football Federation Mehdi Taj gave a statement to state-run television IRIB:

The report also notes that Taj claimed at the ceremony that Iranian-American singer Nasrollah Moein, based in Los Angeles, had agreed to record an anthem for the national team. Moein denied this within hours, describing the claim as a rumour on his Instagram page. Mehr News Agency, affiliated with the Islamic Development Organisation, censored footage showing Hezbollah flags in the crowd when it published its coverage of the ceremony.

Iran Could Have to Play USMNT During World Cup

Although originally planned to base themselves in Arizona, Iran will train out of Mexico instead amid the current geopolitical tension with the US. They will, however, have to come into the country for group games against New Zealand and Belgium in Los Angeles, before heading to Seattle to face Egypt.

What’s more, should Iran and the US both finish second in their respective groups, they will go head-to-head in the round of 32 on July 3 in Arlington, Texas. Tensions between the pair wouldn’t have eased this week when Iran accused the co-hosts of “hostile actions” as they once again lamented the difficulty of getting visas for key staff members to enter the country.

Iranian Football Federation president, Taj, who is also a former commander in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), was denied entry to Canada two weeks ago when he attempted to attend the FIFA Congress in Vancouver. He is among the staff members whose visa applications were rejected ahead of arriving with the team this week.

With just days before the 2026 World Cup begins, England played their first pre-tournament warm-up game on Saturday. It was a dull encounter, but a single Harry Kane goal was enough to see the Three Lions beat New Zealand 1-0.

In fairness to Thomas Tuchel, the German viewed it as more of a training exercise as opposed to a spectacle for the fans, as he played one starting XI in the first half and then swapped the entire team out after the break. Per Opta, this is the first time England have given minutes to 22 different players in the same match since they beat Iceland 6-1 in their final friendly before Euro 2004.

In the sweltering US heat, it was hardly a game to make any sweeping judgment on the players, but that didn’t stop fans from being irked by the comments of ITV commentator and former footballer Lee Dixon.

Kobbie Mainoo’s England Display Sparks Debate

During the first half, Dixon appeared to be critical of Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo, sparking a strong reaction. The 21-year-old was key for England at Euro 2024, but lost his space in the team for club and country when former Red Devils boss Ruben Amorim refused to give him meaningful minutes.

However, Michael Carrick’s arrival at Old Trafford suddenly put the young midfielder back in the picture. After helping Man Utd finish third in the Premier League, playing in all but two league games in 2026, having not started one in the first half of the season, Mainoo did enough to earn a recall to England for the World Cup ahead of the likes of Adam Wharton and Morgan Gibbs-White.

The midfielder, who has been shortlisted for the PFA’s Young Player of the Year award, played a tidy 45 minutes against New Zealand, with 47 touches, the fifth highest on the pitch, and completed 33 of 37 passes, with one of them a key pass. Even so, commentator Dixon seemed to be wary about his ability at the highest level. His comments, however, sparked a fierce reaction online.

Fans Angered By Dixon’s Take on Mainoo For England

Many fans took to social media to express anger about Dixon’s comments about the English midfielder. One angrily wrote:

Another said: “Wow, what a lazy take. How are some of these guys qualified for these roles?” One more defended the player, writing: “Kobbie’s skillset is something rare and not many players have the ability to do.” They added: “In Spain, he would be lauded.”

One more felt former Arsenal player Dixon had the narrative in his mind set before anything had even happened against New Zealand, noting: “He’s seething before he even got a touch. Weird.”

A fifth supporter explained why they felt the opinion wasn’t fair, adding: “Lazy take fr. Mainoo reads the game 2 steps ahead. Pace isn’t just sprint speed.” A final fan was stunned by the criticism, stating: “Crazy bro he’s played brilliant so far.”

It will be interesting to see how much faith Tuchel puts in Mainoo this summer, with Declan Rice and Elliot Anderson widely expected to be the starting World Cup duo in England’s midfield pivot.

Manchester United have now formally closed their first signing of the summer transfer window, and he’s now been given the green light to undergo a medical, according to Fabrizio Romano.

It’s been a fast start to the summer window for United, looking to get deals over the line before the start of the World Cup.

Summer international tournaments often lead to players seeing their value and competition massively increase. Getting ahead of other clubs before the start of the tournament is a smart move.

United need to get a couple of deals over the line before the World Cup, as they need to bring in a host of new additions throughout the summer window.

Leaving it all until after the tournament could be hectic and could lead to them missing out on key targets.

Green Light Given for Man Utd Medical

According to Romano, Manchester United have now formally closed their first signing of the summer transfer window.

Atalanta midfielder Ederson has been given the green light to travel to England to take his medical and sign his contract, although an unofficial medical has already taken place.

Ederson, who has been described as being ‘world-class’ by Gian Piero Gasperini, looks set to become Manchester United’s first signing of the summer transfer window, getting ahead of the competition before the World Cup.

The Atalanta midfielder failed to make Carlo Ancelotti’s squad for the tournament, so his focus will be on preparing for his first season in the Premier League.

Man Utd Need More Than Ederson

Although Ederson would be a smart addition to Manchester United’s midfield, there is no doubt they need more than the Brazilian international if they want to compete on all fronts.

There is an argument to suggest that the Red Devils need another midfielder on top of Ederson, while they could also look to strengthen in other positions.

It is an incredibly important window for Michael Carrick’s side as the club look to back their new manager for the 2026/2027 season.

Although Carrick did an excellent job in the second half of last season, they were without any European football, meaning there were minimal distractions outside of playing in the Premier League.