The soccer world is holding its breath as the start of the 2026 World Cup approaches, an extraordinary competition with 48 participants and an unprecedented organization in three countries (United States, Mexico, Canada), in a context of geopolitical tensions and the war in Iran which are affecting preparations for the tournament.
The 23rdeThis edition of this quadrennial event will start on Thursday with the opening match between Mexico and South Africa in the legendary Azteca stadium in Mexico City. The game will be preceded by a show lasting around fifteen minutes, including a performance by Colombian superstar Shakira who will perform the World Cup anthem with Nigerian singer Burna Boy, Dai Dai.
Each host will thus be entitled to their own ceremony, with Toronto taking over the next day before Canada-Bosnia, followed by Los Angeles on June 13 as a prelude to the meeting between the United States and Paraguay.
A foretaste of an event placed by FIFA under the sign of spectacle and entertainment, the president of the body, Gianni Infantino, having promised “104 Super Bowls” to make each meeting an event combining sport, rhinestones and sequins, in the great tradition of entertainment. the American.
The final, which will determine the successor of Lionel Messi’s Argentina, on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford (New Jersey), will be the high point with a half-time show, a great first for a World Cup.
World Cup of all records and all superlatives where the United States of Donald Trump will take the lion’s share (78 matches out of 104), the tournament should allow FIFA to reap colossal revenues (8.9 billion dollars for the year 2026 alone, 13 billion dollars over its cycle 2023-2026).
It remains to be seen how popular the competition will be. In the midst of controversy over the exorbitant price of tickets, less than 30% of American adults say they are interested in the World Cup, according to a survey published on June 2.
Iran still in the dark
While waiting for the ball to roll onto the pitches on Thursday at the Azteca stadium, then in the 15 other stadiums of the competition (11 in the United States, 3 in Mexico, 2 in Canada), the teams begin to take possession of their base camps and make final adjustments during the preparation meetings. Attention is mainly focused on Iran in the context of the war triggered on February 28 by American-Israeli attacks.
Vagueness still reigns over the conditions of access to the United States for Team Melli, already forced to establish themselves in Tijuana, Mexico, instead of Tucson (Arizona), as was initially planned, due to the refusal of the American authorities to issue long-term visas. duration.
The Iranian national team, which landed in Tijuana on Sunday, must play its three first round matches in the United States (Los Angeles and Seattle), with which the Islamic Republic has not maintained diplomatic relations since the hostage-taking at the American embassy in Tehran in 1980. However, if the players and management have received their visas, around fifteen companions did not obtain the precious sesame, including the president of the Iranian federation, Mehdi Taj, who served in the Revolutionary Guards, an organization considered terrorist by Washington.
Iraq also experienced administrative hassles upon its arrival in the United States and is affected by the conflict in the Middle East and the security and anti-immigration policies of the Trump government. According to the Guardian, the star striker of the Lions of Mesopotamia, Aymen Hussein, was detained for almost seven hours on Saturday upon his arrival in Chicago, while the official photographer of the selection, Talal Salah, was refused entry into the territory despite having a valid visa.
Messi “does a lot better”
On a strictly sporting level, questions and concerns about the physical state of several star players are gradually dissipating. The legendary Argentinian Lionel Messi, injured in the left Achilles tendon, “is doing much better”, according to the coach of the title holders, Lionel Scaloni, and could play a few minutes against Iceland on Tuesday in a friendly in Auburn (Alabama).
Spanish prodigy Lamine Yamal, who has long been bothered by his left thigh, will be fit for the European champions’ start against Cape Verde on June 16, La Roja coach Luis de la Fuente said on Sunday.
As for Neymar, who is treating a calf injury, he could return to training this week, the boss of the team said on Friday. selection brésilienne, Carlo Ancelotti.
