The worst World Cup in history is about to begin…

By Alpaslan Düven/London

As the 2026 FIFA World Cup approaches, the United States is facing growing scrutiny over a series of visa-related incidents and travel disruptions involving teams, officials, and media personnel.

The developments have intensified debate over logistical readiness and entry procedures ahead of the tournament.

1. Iranian Officials Denied Entry Visas

The United States has reportedly denied entry visas to several Iranian football officials, including Iran national team manager Mehdi Mohammadnabi. As a result, he will be barred from entering the U.S. for Iran’s World Cup matches if the decision remains unchanged.

Reports indicate that Mohammadnabi and other affected officials will travel to the team’s training camp in Mexico while efforts to secure entry visas continue.

2. Iranian Football Federation Responds

In an official statement, the Iranian Football Federation strongly condemned the visa refusals, describing them as a violation of international sports regulations and principles. The federation stated its intention to formally appeal to FIFA regarding the decision.

3. Iraqi Player Reported Detention Incident

Separately, reports claim that Iraqi national team player Ayman Hussein was detained for approximately seven hours by U.S. authorities at Chicago airport during a travel-related investigation. The incident, which has not been officially detailed by authorities, has raised further concerns about entry procedures for international players.

4. Journalists Allegedly Denied Visas

In another development, a sports press association has claimed that several Iranian and African journalists have been denied U.S. visas ahead of the World Cup. If confirmed, the move would affect media coverage arrangements for the tournament.

5. Broader Concerns Over Tournament Preparations

These incidents come amid wider criticism regarding the United States’ preparedness to host the World Cup. Concerns cited by observers include visa disputes, extreme weather conditions, stadium pitch quality, and logistical challenges across host cities.

Reports have also highlighted additional issues in the build-up to the tournament, including weather-related disruptions during international friendlies, training facility concerns raised by teams such as Japan, and warnings about extreme summer heat potentially affecting player safety and match scheduling.

While FIFA and tournament organizers maintain that preparations are on track and that measures are being taken to address operational challenges, the accumulation of controversies continues to fuel debate over the tournament’s readiness.

As the event draws closer, attention is expected to remain focused on whether these issues will be resolved or whether they will overshadow what is intended to be one of the largest sporting events in the world.