With the opening match of the 2026 World Cup kicking off tomorrow, here is everything that you might’ve missed in the last few days:
🇨🇭 Switzerland’s Embolo had visa issues and could only join the team days later.
🇮🇶 Iraq striker Aymen Hussein was questioned for almost 7 hours after arriving in the United States.
🇮🇷 Iran spent days dealing with visa problems before the World Cup. Fifteen members of their delegation were denied visas.
🇸🇴 CAF’s 2025 African Referee of the Year, Omar Artan, was denied entry to the U.S. and sent back home. FIFA confirmed he would miss the tournament.
🇿🇦 South Africa arrived much later than planned because some members of the delegation could not get visas.
🇸🇳 Senegal staff members were subjected to long searches and forced to remove their shoes, leading to accusations of racism.
🇺🇿 Uzbekistan’s team was searched with bomb-sniffing dogs, with videos spreading around the world.
🏴 Some Scotland fans had their ESTA travel authorisations cancelled just days before departure.
🤑 Many fans who had already bought tickets and booked hotels had their visa applications rejected, losing large amounts of money.
With the opening match of the 2026 World Cup kicking off tomorrow, here is everything that you might’ve missed in the last few days:
🇨🇭 Switzerland’s Embolo had visa issues and could only join the team days later.
🇮🇶 Iraq striker Aymen Hussein was questioned for almost 7 hours after arriving in the United States.
🇮🇷 Iran spent days dealing with visa problems before the World Cup. Fifteen members of their delegation were denied visas.
🇸🇴 CAF’s 2025 African Referee of the Year, Omar Artan, was denied entry to the U.S. and sent back home. FIFA confirmed he would miss the tournament.
🇿🇦 South Africa arrived much later than planned because some members of the delegation could not get visas.
🇸🇳 Senegal staff members were subjected to long searches and forced to remove their shoes, leading to accusations of racism.
🇺🇿 Uzbekistan’s team was searched with bomb-sniffing dogs, with videos spreading around the world.
🏴 Some Scotland fans had their ESTA travel authorisations cancelled just days before departure.
🤑 Many fans who had already bought tickets and booked hotels had their visa applications rejected, losing large amounts of money.
