Mehdi Torabi issued a new visa after previous one expired when team returned to Mexico following the New Zealand game.
Published On 16 Jun 202616 Jun 2026
United States officials have confirmed that Iran’s team will have to leave the country within hours of the full-time whistle at their World Cup group games in Los Angeles and Seattle.
“We were clear this was the process,” Andrew Giuliani, the executive director of the White House FIFA Task Force, told The Associated Press news agency.
Team Melli drew with New Zealand in a politically charged Group G game in Los Angeles on Monday following months of uncertainty over the team’s participation in the World Cup amid the US-Israel war on Iran.
The Iranian delegation left the US hours after the match ended at about 8pm local time (03:00 GMT) and returned to their base camp in Mexico, prompting criticism of the US handling of their visas as the team did not get a day to recover at their hotel.
Iran coach Amir Ghalenoei said after the match that his team had been ordered to leave the US and return to Mexico only a few hours later. Ghalenoei said the team had expected to spend the night in California to maximise the normal recovery process after their opening game.
The US faced further pushback as Iran winger Mehdi Torabi’s entry visa expired after the first game. Team officials confirmed Tuesday afternoon that they had secured him a new, multiple-entry visa allowing him to travel into the US for future matches.
“This issue has been resolved,” the US Department of State said.
“As soon as we became aware of the issue, we worked to ensure that the player can participate in every game.”
Mehdi Torabi, number 16, was issued a new visa after his previous one expired following the first game [Gary Vasquez/Reuters]
Giuliani said during an interview broadcast Monday night on CBS News that some of the Iranian team’s support staff and team officials were denied entry into the US, but all the players and coaches had received visas.
He also outlined the conditions by which the Iranian team would be able to come into the US for their games.
“The team will be allowed to come in, match day minus one, so the day before the match. They’ll be asked to leave the day that the match wraps up, so the evening of the match. And they’ll be able to do that again in Los Angeles. They’ll be able to do it again in Seattle,” Giuliani said.
When asked about why some support staff and team officials had been denied entry, Giuliani wouldn’t go into details but referred to previous comments made by Secretary of State Marco Rubio about denying entry to people with direct ties to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
“Secretary Rubio said very clearly: Anybody with direct ties to the IRGC is not coming into the United States of America, and they’re not going to let the World Cup be the reason why they can come in,” Giuliani said. “So I think it’s very clear why.”
Iran captain Mehdi Taremi said the team endured five hours of travel and security checks during what’s normally a very short trip from Tijuana to the Los Angeles area on Sunday.
“I think FIFA have to help us more than this,” Taremi said.
South Korean players reportedly refrain from speaking to national media outside official World Cup commitments.
Published On 16 Jun 202616 Jun 2026
South Korea’s preparations for their World Cup match against Mexico have been overshadowed by a rift between the players and the country’s media following disparaging comments about captain Son Heung-min.
The spat reportedly led to the resignation of one of the team’s media officers on Tuesday. The national team has yet to confirm the resignation, which has been reported by some of the media covering the South Korean squad in Guadalajara.
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Access for the media had apparently been cut off after the comments against Son were caught on camera. Players reportedly refrained from speaking to South Korean media outside official World Cup commitments, and scheduled interviews with players were cancelled.
Mexican media said there was a meeting between the team’s media officers and the South Korean media to discuss the incident.
There was no media access scheduled on Tuesday. The pre-match news conference is scheduled for Wednesday.
The South Korean football association said it regretted “the inappropriate remarks made by some media personnel during the national football team’s training at the Guadalajara base camp”. The organisation added the comments caused “great shock and disappointment” within the squad.
The 33-year-old Son, running with teammates, was mocked by unidentified media personnel over his military record in footage recorded by broadcaster JTBC, South Korea’s official rights holder for the tournament. The video was later leaked, prompting a strong reaction on social media.
By helping South Korea win gold at the 2018 Asian Games, Son earned an exemption from the mandatory 21-month military service required of able-bodied men.
Son later completed alternative duties, including a three-week military training course in 2020 and community service.
The federation said in Monday’s statement that it “will continue to prioritise the protection of the squad and strive to create a healthy media environment”.
Son, who left Tottenham for Los Angeles FC a year ago, missed chances in the victory over the Czech Republic, with Hwang In-beom and Oh Hyeon-gyu scoring in Guadalajara.
South Korea plays again in Guadalajara on Thursday when it faces Mexico in Group A.
Tuchel’s decision to select a central defender in Chalobah, rather than a natural full-back replacement, is further proof Real Madrid’s Alexander-Arnold remains well out of the picture.
This was after Tuchel even opted to pick Alexander-Arnold’s former Liverpool team-mate Curtis Jones, a central midfielder, ahead of him at right-back against Andorra in June.
Tuchel has made his concerns over Alexander-Arnold’s perceived defensive frailties clear, saying: “If he wants to have this impact in the English national team then he has to take the defensive part very, very seriously.
“Because when we are talking, especially about qualifying football, and then tournament football, the one defensive error, the one moment where you are not 100% awake, can be decisive. It can be the moment where you pack your suitcases and go home.”
Packing his suitcase early for a flight back to England is not on Tuchel’s agenda – so one of the country’s most naturally gifted footballers is overlooked again.
Alexander-Arnold was not included in Tuchel’s 35-man squad for friendlies against Uruguay and Japan in March, missing out again when the coach needed to seek reinforcements.
Tuchel instead picked Arsenal’s Ben White, who has not been a regular at club level and had been in self-imposed England exile since the Qatar World Cup in 2022.
Alexander-Arnold did make Tuchel’s provisional 55-man World Cup squad, although that could hardly be called a ringing endorsement.
It is in sharp contrast to the faith placed in Alexander-Arnold by Lee Carsley, England’s Under-21 coach who bridged the gap between Southgate’s departure and Tuchel’s appointment.
Carsley even used Alexander-Arnold at left-back in a 3-1 Nations League win at Finland in October 2024, crowning his performance with a superb free-kick.
Alexander-Arnold started four games out of six under Carsley but none of Tuchel’s 14 – those facts speak for themselves.
As a head coach who fixates on squad togetherness, was there a worry that having such a high-profile player on the margins might lead Alexander-Arnold to provide an unintentional distraction and focus of attention?
Alexander-Arnold’s latest rejection appears to be further evidence there is no way back for him with England as long as Tuchel is in charge.
England fans have had a longer wait than most for their 2026 World Cup campaign to get under way.
On Wednesday, six days after the tournament began, the Three Lions will walk out at the Dallas Stadium for their opener against Croatia.
It is difficult to predict how many England fans will turn up, draping the St George’s Cross around the stands.
The official England Supporters’ Travel Club (ESTC) has sold its allocation of 4,022 tickets. Controversially, a few appear to be listed on Fifa’s resale site at inflated prices.
The number of fans who travel independently and the ex-pats is really an unknown.
The United Kingdom Football Policing Unit (UKFPU) told BBC Sport that between 12,000 and 15,000 England fans are expected at each group stage game.
The UKFPU added that 89,000 World Cup tickets have been purchased by fans from England.
That covers all 104 matches and there is no individual breakdown, while most fans will attend more than one fixture.
But that number does not include the supporters who have headed out to the United States without securing tickets.
Germany in 2006 was the high point, with the UKFPU estimating that 350,000 people made the short trip to watch games in stadia but mostly at fan parks.
Only 4,000 are thought to have visited Qatar four years ago, while 20,000 to 30,000 is a more usual figure.
Gaza’s football fans once watched the World Cup from the comfort of their homes. Now, displaced in schools and tents, they face power cuts, sparse internet access and the threat of Israeli attacks.
Fox is under fire for missing on-field action during the first match of the World Cup last week. .
Many sports fans were irate when the network aired a full-screen ad when play resumed after a water break during last Thursday’s Mexico–South Africa match.
In the second half, the referee called for the newly instated hydration break, but the call came during a replay, which led to a miscommunication over when the three-minute break actually started.
Fox ran its full-screen ad late, and because the break didn’t last the full three minutes, players were reportedly left stalling on the field — and many Fox viewers missed the restart entirely.
“The reason that I keep coming back to these games as a fan is for 45 solid minutes of entertainment. Anything that interrupts that, whether it’s [these hydration breaks] or anything else, is not great for the game,” Garrett Denney, an avid World Cup fan and frequent user of the World Cup Reddit page, said. “What we want to see is that kind of rhythm and tempo, the intensity for a full half of soccer.”
Fox declined to comment.
The hydration break is new to the World Cup. FIFA announced it in December as a way to protect players’ health in the summer heat. In every match, the referee is to call for a break around the 22-minute mark of both halves, regardless of weather.
A FIFA spoesperson declined to comment, but pointed to a previous press release describing the breaks as a “focused attempt to ensure the best possible conditions for players, drawing upon the experiences of previous tournaments.”
The extra minutes also created something else — a new advertising window, and broadcasters are taking advantage.
Networks are supposed to leave the on-field action 20 seconds after the referee signals the break and return 30 seconds before play resumes, allowing for ads of up to two minutes and 10 seconds in total. They can air any full-screen ad they’d like, or run a split-screen ad — though a split-screen has to feature a FIFA partner, like Coca-Cola or Adidas.
The stakes are especially high for Fox, which is also leaning on the tournament to promote Fox One, its streaming service that lets subscribers watch its programming without a traditional pay-TV subscription. The World Cup broadcast has been a major plus for the platform, which costs $19.99 a month.
For some soccer fans, though, the commercial breaks are an intrusions.
“The FIFA hydration break is pure capitalism,” comedian Kevin Fredericks wrote on X.
Musician Lloyd Cole made a similar point about the new ad windows: “US tv finally got their 4 quarters. Fifa, corrupt? Fifa?”
After Fox’s stumble, many fans started questioning the intention behind the rule itself.
That frustration has pushed some viewers toward an alternative: Telemundo. The Spanish-language network, available through the Peacock streaming platform, opted for minimal hydration-break ads instead of full-screen takeovers.
During the same Mexico–South Africa match, while Fox aired its full-screen ad, Telemundo kept players on camera, let its commentators share their thoughts, and ran a Lays ad in the corner of the screen. The network has described it as a conscious decision to prioritize authenticity and keep viewers immersed.
“No ads on Telemundo and I’m learning Spanish at the same time!” one user quipped on the World Cup subreddit.
Denney, who’s rooting for Team USA, said his family prefers the Telemundo stream too — even with only part of the household fluent in Spanish.
“Part of our household is fully fluent in Spanish, part is not. And even despite the language barrier, we’ve really gravitated toward the quality of the Telemundo stream,” Denney said. “It’s really more of a rhythmic commentary. You can get deep into the game, you’re not pulled so far out of that experience and it feels almost like you’re at the stadium.”
Newcastle United defender Tino Livramento is a major doubt for England’s World Cup campaign, with Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah poised to replace the full-back.
Livramento, 23, is understood to have sustained an injury during a training session on Sunday before England’s World Cup opener against Croatia on Wednesday night (21:00 BST).
While the Football Association is not commenting on the extent of Livramento’s injury, it is understood there are fears he could be out of action for up to four weeks.
Livramento’s involvement in the tournament had already been in doubt after he missed the final five weeks of the season with a thigh injury.
If, as is now expected, Livramento is ruled out of the tournament, Chelsea defender Chalobah is set to replace him – though he will not join up with the squad until after the Croatia match.
Outfield players who sustain a serious injury or illness can be replaced in a World Cup squad up to 24 hours before the team’s first match of the tournament gets under way.
Livramento, who was handed his international debut under Gareth Southgate in November 2024, has featured five times during Tuchel’s reign, starting twice.
He came on at half-time during England’s 1-0 warm-up win over New Zealand but was left on the bench against Costa Rica.
Reece James is Tuchel’s first choice at right-back but there are also question marks about his fitness, following another injury-plagued campaign.
The 26-year-old missed nine games for Chelsea at the end of the season because of a hamstring injury.
Other options who are already in the England squad include Djed Spence and Ezri Konsa.
Spence, who can play on both flanks, has featured six times under Tuchel while Konsa, predominantly a centre-back, has played 11 times, including nine starts.
Chalobah has not featured for England since June 2025 when he played the full 90 minutes in a friendly against Senegal, but was on the bench for multiple World Cup qualifiers under Tuchel.
Like Konsa, the 26-year-old’s preferred position is centre-back.
THE World Cup is dominating England this summer, so why not up your footie game and swap the pub garden for the beach when England plays?
This beautiful spot in Cornwall is letting footie fans watch matches right on the beach with plenty of drinks on hand, from beer jugs to cocktail pitchers.
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Shoreside at Carlyon Bay will screen the World Cup for free this summerCredit: instagram/@carlyonbeachIt’s surrounded by food outlets and four barsCredit: instagram/@carlyonbeach
Shoreside on Carlyon Bay near St Austell is a coastal hangout with street-food pop ups, bars, live music and now, World Cup screenings.
On Instagram, Shoreside said: “Cornwall’s biggest World Cup Fan Zone & the best spot to watch the World Cup this Summer!
“With live pre-match entertainment, 4 dedicated bars, and a host of street food just a throw-in away, Shoreside is your definitive home for the World Cup.”
It will show “every England match” and other selected games on the big screen which is under a sheltered marquee so it won’t matter if it’s raining.
The World Cup on Tuesday features tournament heavyweights Argentina and France, who are beginning their campaigns.
France, the 2018 World Cup winners, take on Senegal in East Rutherford, New Jersey, in a repeat of their famous opener in the 2002 edition while Lionel Messi’s reigning champions Argentina face Algeria in Kansas City, Missouri. In Tuesday’s other matches, Norway return to the World Cup for the first time in 28 years against Iraq, and Austria meet Jordan in the day’s final fixture.
Away from the games, Cape Verde are still celebrating their historic draw with Spain while Iraq’s return to the tournament has sparked both happiness and frustration among their supporters.
Here’s what to watch on Day 6 of the World Cup:
What is the schedule for Tuesday?
Four more teams begin their campaigns on Tuesday.
France vs Senegal at New York New Jersey Stadium is scheduled to kick off at 3pm (19:00 GMT).
Later, Norway return to the World Cup for the first time since 1998 when they take on Iraq at Boston Stadium in Massachusetts with kickoff at 6pm (22:00 GMT).
And Argentina will also play against Algeria at Kansas City Stadium at 8pm (01:00 GMT on Wednesday) before Austria meet Jordan at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium in California at 9pm (04:00 GMT on Wednesday).
What are the predictions for France vs Senegal?
France head into the tournament as one of the favourites, sitting third in FIFA’s world rankings. But African powerhouse Senegal, ranked 16th, are expected to provide a stern early test in their opening match.
The teams’ only previous World Cup meeting came in the opening match of the 2002 tournament when tournament debutants Senegal stunned defending champions France 1-0. Papa Bouba Diop’s memorable winner sparked celebrations across Dakar, and then-President Abdoulaye Wade declared a national holiday. Senegal went on to reach the quarterfinals while France exited without winning a game.
Opta’s supercomputer still gives France a clear edge at New York New Jersey Stadium, assigning Les Bleus a 64.8 percent chance of victory. Senegal’s chances of pulling off another upset stand at 14.9 percent while the probability of a draw is put at 20.3 percent.
What are the predictions for Iraq vs Norway?
Tuesday’s Group I clash will be the first meeting between Iraq and Norway, and it will be the Nordic country’s first World Cup match against a team from the Asian Football Confederation.
Norway have relished their return to the World Cup after a long hiatus from the tournament. Fans have drawn attention with their synchronised “Viking row” celebrations while Erling Haaland shared a Viking-themed team photo on social media, describing the tournament as “a dream 28 years in the making”. Led by Haaland and Martin Odegaard, the Norwegians arrive with high hopes.
Opta’s supercomputer expects Norway to start strongly, giving them a 77.4 percent chance of victory. A draw is rated at 14 percent while Iraq have an 8.6 percent chance of pulling off an upset.
What are the predictions for Argentina vs Algeria?
Argentina and Algeria have never faced each other at the World Cup although they did meet in a friendly in 2007 when Argentina came from behind to secure a thrilling 4-3 win at Barcelona’s Camp Nou. A teenager by the name of Lionel Messi scored the first two goals of his international career that day.
History also favours the South Americans. Argentina have won each of their last six World Cup matches against African opponents, rebounding from their shock 1-0 defeat to Cameroon in 1990. Algeria, meanwhile, have enjoyed mixed fortunes against South American sides at the tournament, beating Chile in 1982 before losing to Brazil four years later.
Opta’s supercomputer expects Argentina to make a winning start in Group J. After 25,000 simulations, Lionel Scaloni’s side emerged victorious 68.2 percent of the time. Algeria were given a 13.2 percent chance of causing an upset while a draw was the outcome in 18.6 percent of the projections.
What are the predictions for Austria vs Jordan?
Austria enter the match as the clear favourites on paper. Ranked 25th in the world, they sit 39 places above Jordan, who are 64th in FIFA’s standings, and the Europeans are widely expected to challenge for a place in the knockout rounds.
Opta’s supercomputer strongly backs Austria to open their campaign with a victory in San Francisco, giving them a 70.3 percent chance of taking all three points. Jordan have been assigned a 12.9 percent probability of pulling off an upset while the likelihood of a draw stands at 16.9 percent.
Looking beyond this match, Austria are considered Argentina’s main challengers in Group J. They have an 18 percent chance of finishing top of the group, compared with just 2.9 percent for Jordan.
What else is shaping the World Cup?
Cape Verde celebrate historic point
Cape Verde’s 0-0 draw with Spain led to wild celebrations among fans, including in Boston, home to a large Cape Verdean community. Supporters said they were proud to see their country shine on the World Cup stage.
“Everyone thought Spain would beat us,” one fan said. “We’re a small country, but we have a big heart.”
According to a report on the NBC TV network, goalkeeper Vozinha also became an overnight social media sensation with his Instagram following soaring after the game. NBC said the goalkeeper went from 50,000 followers on Instagram to 4.9 million.
Cape Verde fans watch the World Cup group stage match against Spain from Praia, Cape Verde, on June 15, 2026 [Danilson Sequeira/Reuters]
Saudi Arabia deny Uruguay victory
Saudi Arabia looked set for another famous World Cup upset after Abdulelah Alamri gave the Green Falcons the lead against Uruguay, four years on from their shock win over Argentina.
But Uruguay’s Maximiliano Araujo struck 10 minutes from time to earn Uruguay a 1-1 draw. Saudi goalkeeper Mohammed Alowais then made several key saves to preserve the point, leaving Group H finely balanced after the opening round of matches.
Abdulelah Al-Amri #4 of Saudi Arabia scores his team’s first goal against Uruguay during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group H match at Miami Stadium on June 15, 2026 [Lars Baron/Getty Images/Getty Images via AFP]
Tunisia sack coach after heavy defeat
Tunisia have dismissed Sabri Lamouchi after their 5-1 loss to Sweden in their World Cup opener. Mondher Kebaier is set to take over on an interim basis as Tunisia try to revive their campaign before matches against Japan and the Netherlands.
Meet Merlin, Mexico’s unlikely mascot
A duck named Merlin became one of the World Cup’s first viral stars after appearing in Mexico City celebrations dressed in the national team’s colours. Fans on social media called the two-year-old a “national treasure” and even called for him to attend matches as the tournament’s unofficial mascot.
Norway embrace their Viking roots
Norway have brought Viking fever to the tournament. Fans have debuted a synchronised “Viking row” celebration in the stands while the team posed for a Viking-themed photoshoot that sparked both excitement and debate back home. The images, shared by Erling Haaland, have become one of the tournament’s early talking points.
FIFA clears VAR official Shaun Evans
FIFA said it found “no evidence” to support allegations that video assistant referee Shaun Evans breached its disciplinary code after he was accused of making a white supremacist hand gesture during Germany’s World Cup opener against Curacao. Evans, an Australian, said the gesture was an involuntary movement and denied any intent to communicate a racist message.
For many Iraqis, qualifying for the World Cup has brought a rare moment of joy after decades of conflict and hardship.
Fans said the team’s return to football’s biggest stage after more than 40 years offers people a chance to unite and move away, even briefly, from the tensions in the region.
“We haven’t felt this happy in a long time,” Ahmed Salman, an Iraqi fan, told Al Jazeera.
“This is a chance for people to come together and move away from the atmosphere of war, especially given the tense situation in the region.”
But the celebrations have also been mixed with frustration over restrictions that some said have prevented Iraqi supporters from attending the tournament in the United States.
“Banning the fans is a very negative step because sports have nothing to do with politics,” Salman said. “People are coming to celebrate.”
Another Iraq supporter described the emotions as bittersweet.
“As Iraqis, after more than 40 years, we have qualified for the World Cup,” Taha Mohamed said. “It brings a feeling of joy and comfort, … but regarding the fans, it is frustrating.”
Los Angeles – “I’m sure when we score a goal today, everyone will be cheering.”
That was the prediction of Iranian fan Parsa Tafreshi, who had travelled from New York to Los Angeles to see Iran take on New Zealand on Monday.
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His words would prove largely true.
The game ended in a thrilling 2-2 draw, and each time Iran – known as Team Melli – scored, the stadium erupted in deafening celebrations.
There were two opposing sets of Iranian flags in Los Angeles, home to a large Iranian American community that is largely staunchly opposed to the governing system in Tehran.
Some fans waved the Islamic Republic flag, adorned with the name of God. Others opted for the pre-1979-revolution flag featuring the lion and sun, used by the Iranian opposition.
But when Team Melli were building up an attack, their supporters sang in unison.
Chants of “Iran, Iran” rang throughout the stadium, and the fans held their breath collectively each time Iran’s attackers came near New Zealand’s goal.
Concerns of unrest around the game did not materialise. Iranian fans vastly outnumbered their New Zealand counterparts at the stadium, and the game ended without any major incident.
Anti-team protest
A small group of demonstrators had gathered outside the venue, waving Israeli flags and chanting in support of opposition figure Reza Pahlavi.
They also called on United States President Donald Trump to resume the war with Iran, although Washington and Tehran have already reached a ceasefire deal.
“President Trump, finish the job,” they chanted on a loud megaphone.
Protesters also shouted slogans against the Palestinian group Hamas and Lebanon’s Hezbollah.
One of the demonstrators held a banner featuring the faces of Team Melli players with red crosses on them.
“IRGC Team,” it said, referring to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, with red ink meant to resemble blood dripping from the letters.
Protester Kourosh Kiumarsi told Al Jazeera that the Iranian squad is the “regime team”.
Asked about the Israeli flags at the demonstration, he said: “Israel and the USA attacked the regime and helped the people of Iran. They are not at war with Iran. They are at war with the Islamic Republic regime.”
Despite the intensity of the slogans at the protest, it was small and contained.
Protesters outside Los Angeles Stadium, June 15, 2026 [Ali Harb/Al Jazeera]
“I love that all the hype was just outside of the stadium,” said Sudi Farokhnia, who wore a green, white and red wig and a shirt featuring the lion and sun flag.
“Once you walked into the stadium, all you could hear was Iran, Iran, Iran. The energy was amazing. The people were amazing,” she told Al Jazeera after the match.
But that does not mean the entire affair was apolitical.
It would be difficult to argue that the pre-revolution flag is not a political statement.
FIFA bans political symbols at international matches, but thousands of Iranian fans on Monday were able to come in with lion-and-sun flags, shirts and hats.
Many also wore political slogans like “Make Iran Great Again” and “free Iran”.
FIFA did not respond to Al Jazeera’s request for comment on the issue.
Minab message
There were also other political expressions at the match.
Arash, an Iranian fan who asked to be identified by his first name only, wore a shirt that said “Mibab 168” on the back.
The US-Israel war on Iran killed hundreds of civilians, including 168 children at a girl’s school in the southern city of Minab, during the first day of the conflict.
“This is not a political shirt. This is not just to send a political message,” Arash told Al Jazeera.
“It’s a simple, simple statement: Schools are sanctuaries, whether it’s school shootings, bombings. School is a place of virtue. It’s a place of learning. It’s a place that – no matter who you are, what you believe in, what country – school should be off limits.”
An Iranian fan in Los Angeles wears a shirt that says, ‘Minab 168’ [Ali Harb/Al Jazeera]
Inside the stadium, a group of Iranian fans also revealed a “MINAB 168” message during the game.
There were also Palestinian and Israeli flags visible in the stands.
The match kicked off with a political message: Many fans jeered the Iranian national anthem, which opposition activists see as representative of the government.
Iran’s participation in the tournament was in peril earlier this year because of the war. Team Melli were forced to stay in Mexico as their base camp, while all their group-stage matches were in the US, because the Trump administration refused to host them.
Once the ball was kicked, however, that all faded into the background.
It was 11 versus 11. And the football delivered excitement, joy and disappointment.
Iran dropped two valuable points against a lower-ranked team, but came twice from behind and hit the woodwork once.
And each of the two times the net bulged, the goals brought happiness to a nation with two flags at home and abroad that has gone through war and immense hardship.
There was a number of protesters outside.
But when Iran scored, almost all Iranians cheered.
The Iranian national team finally got to just play soccer.
Their journey to the World Cup has been uniquely fraught, with a war erupting between the host of their matches and their home country.
They had to relocate their base camp from Arizona to Tijuana, struggled to get all of their traveling party into the United States amid visa scrutiny and absorbed President Trump’s suggestion they may not be safe if they chose to play in the World Cup.
Iran forward Mohammad Mohebi (8) heads the ball for a goal during the second half against New Zealand in group play at the World Cup on Monday.
(Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)
With the focus shifted solely to soccer, Iran’s 2-2 draw with New Zealand in front of an announced crowd of 70,108 Monday night at SoFi Stadium may have felt like a victory because of the sheer fight it took for Team Melli to play in Inglewood.
After Belgium and Egypt tied 1-1 earlier Monday, all the teams in Group G are tied at one point apiece.
The All Whites showed no signs they were rattled by the pro-Iran crowd or their standing 65 slots behind Iran in FIFA world rankings.
Iran fell behind twice, but the team rallied to avoid plummeting to the bottom of its group.
A flurry of chances generated by both teams during stoppage time never translated into a winning goal.
New Zealand struck first.
New Zealand forward Elijah Just, right, celebrates after scoring his second goal against Iran on Monday.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Elijah Just rumbled toward the box and seemed to pinball around the Iranian defense. He passed to Sarpreet Singh, who chipped the ball to Chris Wood in the box. Wood then chested the ball back to Just, who took one touch before kicking the ball in for New Zealand’s first goal in the seventh minute.
A small but hearty contingent of New Zealand cheered.
After the hydration break, Iran’s Ramin Rezaeian pushed the ball into the box and tapped it to Saman Ghoddos. Shahriyar Moghanlou’s shot was blocked, but Rezaeian was in position to tap the deflection into the far lower left corner of the net in the 32nd minute.
The stadium roared as Mexico fans joined Iran fans cheering and waving flags.
1
2
3
4
1.Iran goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand watches the ball go into the net after a goal by New Zealand forward Elijah Just in the first half.(Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)2.Iran defender Milad Mohammadi leaps over a New Zealand defender during the second half.(Kelvin Kuo / Los Angeles Times)3.New Zealand defender Finn Surman, top, goes after the ball in front of Iran forward Ali Alipour during the second half.(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)4.Iranian soccer team fans show their support during the team’s 2-2 draw with New Zealand.(Kelvin Kuo / Los Angeles Times)
Both teams has chances to break the tie late in the first half.
New Zealand earned a free kick in the 45th minute just outside the box. Wood took a direct shot at the goal, but Iran goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand gathered it with ease.
During first-half stoppage time, Rezaeian’s free kick was headed home by Ali Nemati, but Nemati was clearly offsides and the goal was waived off by the referees.
In the 54th minute, Iran turned the ball over and Just connected with Just for his second goal of the match.
Iran responded in the 64th minute with Rezaeian’s cross headed home by Mohammad Mohebi, tying the game and delighting fans.
Iran forward Mohammad Mohebi reacts after scoring against New Zealand in the second half Monday.
(Kelvin Kuo / Los Angeles Times)
Before the game, protesters outside SoFi Stadium argued Iran’s oppression regime should be sanctioned for human rights violations and banned from competition. Other Iranian Americans countered they gathered at the venue to cheer on players rather than Iran’s totalitarian leaders.
Iran captain and star striker Mehdi Taremi said before the game he hoped the team that has unified in the face of massive distractions could provide solace during a difficult time.
“We, the players of the national team, we play for every Iranian, be it the Iranian diaspora or be it Iranians in the country,” Taremi said through a FIFA interpreter. “Look, in every country, people have different opinions, but we are here as footballers to unite people, and we will try to bring joy to all Iranians, irrespective of where they live.
“Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and we respect them, but we are here to bring joy to the Iranian people. We do not get involved in politics. We are here to play football.”
From his hometown of Sao Vicente in Cape Verde, Vozinha has been his jersey name throughout his club career.
Published On 16 Jun 202616 Jun 2026
Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha broke down in tears at the end of the 0-0 draw with Spain after the 40-year-old was mobbed by his teammates following a stunning display as he denied the European champions victory in their World Cup opener.
Cape Verde were pinned back in their own half for much of Monday’s game, but whenever Spain broke through their dogged rearguard, Vozinha came to the rescue.
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His heroics earned him the player of the match, pulling off a string of saves at the end of the first half to deny Ferran Torres, Pedri and Aymeric Laporte.
Here’s everything we know about the Cape Verde goalkeeper:
Cape Verde’s goalkeeper, Vozinha, celebrates at the end of the 2026 World Cup Group H match between Spain and Cape Verde at Atlanta Stadium on June 15, 2026 [AFP]
Where does Vozinha play?
Vozinha goalkeeps for Chaves in Portugal’s second-tier football league.
The World Cup is by far the biggest stage he has reached, but Vozinha began his club career at home with Batuque FC, before transferring to CS Mindelense.
The veteran player’s experience comes from the myriad clubs he has represented – from Progresso in Angola to Zimbru Chisinau in Moldova, Gil Vicente in Portugal, AEL Limassol in Cyprus and AS Trencin in Slovakia, before arriving at Chaves.
Is Vozinha his real name?
No, Vozinha is a moniker for Josimar Jose Evora Dias. It came from his grandparents, whom he spent most of his time with as his father was in the military and his mother was working. The name checks out, since it means “little granny” in Portuguese.
From his hometown of Sao Vicente in Cape Verde, Vozinha has been his jersey name throughout the nomadic club pilgrimage across Africa and Europe.
“When I arrived in Angola, there was another goalkeeper named Josimar, and I said, ‘I am not going to put Josimar II on the shirt’. If everyone knew me as Vozinha in Cape Verde, that’s what I would be,” he told FIFA in an interview earlier this year.
What did Vozinha say after the match?
The Cape Verde keeper was reduced to tears by his heroics and fairytale World Cup debut.
“Very proud… It is an honour for me to represent my country,” Vozinha told reporters of his island nation, the third smallest nation to qualify for a World Cup.
“I cried because I grew up with my grandparents and, unfortunately, they were not here; they died a few years before, and they did everything for me and my life,” he added.
“Also, my mum, she didn’t manage to be here because of the visa. The money for the visa, we didn’t manage on time, and I would like her to be here.”
Is Vozinha world-famous now?
Yes, on all counts.
The goalkeeper’s Instagram following jumped from a modest 500,000 to nearly 5 million within a few hours of full-time in the Spain match.
His quiet brilliance was spotlighted on the world’s biggest stage for all to see.
French football star Paul Pogba took to social media after the match in praise of Vozinha.
“The Cape Verde goalkeeper is really something, waaaaw,” he wrote.
Maxi Araujo scored a late equaliser to salvage a 1-1 draw for Uruguay in their World Cup opener against Saudi Arabia, preventing another stunning upset in Group H after Spain’s earlier goalless draw with Cape Verde.
The Saudis famously beat Argentina 2-1 in their 2022 tournament opener, and they looked on course for another shock, courtesy of Abdulelah Alamri’s 41st-minute strike, until winger Araujo stepped up 10 minutes from time at Miami Stadium on Monday.
Uruguay coach Marcelo Bielsa certainly viewed it as a missed opportunity after European champions Spain dropped two points earlier in the day.
“An opponent we should have beaten; we gave away minutes in the first half that suggest we didn’t do things right,” he said. “We had to win this match.”
The Green Falcons ultimately had goalkeeper Mohammed Alowais to thank for their point, which will give them confidence they can progress to the knockout stage for the first time since the United States last hosted the World Cup in 1994.
“We were very tired at the end, but to play this type of game with this opponent, and to get a point, it’s a positive for us,” said Saudi Arabia coach Georgios Donis.
“I like the spirit and the passion of my players, but I think we have the quality to play better.”
Abdulelah Alamri scores Saudi Arabia’s goal past Fernando Muslera [Molly Darlington/Getty Images via AFP]
Uruguay, World Cup winners in 1930 and 1950, started the match with the swagger of favourites, and in the fifth minute, left winger Araujo turned on the edge of the box and angled a shot at goal, which Alowais parried away.
But barring a Federico Vinas diving header on the half-hour mark, which Alowais also pushed away, the Uruguayans lacked accuracy going forward and often looked a bit casual at the back.
Donis had promised his side would be courageous, and their attack sparked into life in the 36th minute, when left-back Moteb Alharbi skipped through the midfield before being cynically cut down 30 metres (about 30 yards) from goal.
Alamri had a shot from the centre of the box well saved by Fernando Muslera two minutes later, but the Uruguay goalkeeper was powerless to prevent the Saudis from going ahead soon afterwards.
Mohamed Kanno got on the end of a Musab Aljuwayr corner, and although Muslera managed to save his powerful header, Alamri was on hand to tap the ball into the net.
Bielsa made two changes at the break, and Uruguay’s game plan immediately looked more coherent – getting players down the flank to put crosses into the box and producing a string of headers for Alowais to deal with.
Defensive midfielder Manuel Ugarte came within inches of an equaliser when he beat the Saudi keeper in the 60th minute, only for his drilled shot to bounce off the far post.
Vinas had been Uruguay’s best aerial threat all game, and it was no surprise that the breakthrough came from one of his headers 10 minutes from full-time.
Alowais again denied the target man, but the ball fell straight to Araujo, who did well to control it and clip it into the net at the near post.
Uruguay poured forward, looking for a winner in a frenetic finish; Federico Valverde and Jose Maria Gimenez coming closest with rasping shots from either side of the box, which Alowais did well to push past his posts.
“I think the nerves of the debut worked against us, as did the need to go out and score,” said Vinas.
“In the second half, we did a bit more of what the manager wanted. I’m frustrated and angry, but as captain, I’m happy with my teammates’ work.”
Saudi fans celebrate [Alex Slitz/Getty Images via AFP]
WASHINGTON — While millions of soccer fans cheer or groan over World Cup matches spanning North America, health officials are on high alert for germs.
A heat wave may be the most obvious health threat. But infectious diseases can spread in a crowd, and experts are scrutinizing wastewater, hospital visits, even social media for any signs that an outbreak might be brewing.
Measles, one of the most contagious diseases, is among the top concerns, sparking a warning this week from the Pan American Health Organization, PAHO. With a nearly six-week stretch of packed stadiums, bars and tourist sites in 16 cities, officials are on the lookout for a long list of infections, from the stomach bug norovirus to mosquito-borne dengue fever.
“This is truly a marathon,” said Palak Raval-Nelson, Philadelphia’s health commissioner.
The mass gatherings come at a tense moment for budget-strapped health agencies in the U.S. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, hit hard by Trump administration staffing cuts, already was grappling with a growing Ebola outbreak in central Africa and a cruise ship hantavirus outbreak. While CDC officials have advised state and local health departments behind the scenes, it’s expected World Cup disease surveillance dashboard still was “in final development” days before games began, according to the Department of Health and Human Services.
“Our public health professionals are pretty stretched,” said global health specialist Rebecca Katz of Georgetown University, who is leading an unusual new hub to help.
At the Health Security Operations Center, a joint effort between Georgetown and MedStar Health, workers are analyzing data from around the country so they can alert health authorities, even emergency rooms, to any early signs of trouble. The center is issuing daily “situation reports” about disease trends around World Cup host cities and team base camps to several hundred local and federal public health groups, emergency management and hospital officials and others who’ve signed up.
“It’s important that we don’t become alarmist,” said MedStar emergency medicine specialist Dr. Shane Kappler. “We’re trying to be the insurance policy.”
Measles is a top concern for potential World Cup spread
Already more than 2,000 people in the U.S. have come down with measles this year, nearly as many as during all of last year, according to the CDC. Patients can spread measles before the rash appears and they realize they’re sick. Not too long ago, the U.S. seldom saw measles except from international travel by unvaccinated people.
Now with frequent U.S. outbreaks, “actually a lot of our international partners are worried about measles being exported to them after the games,” said Georgetown’s Katz.
Measles is spreading in Canada, too, and has exceeded 11,000 cases in Mexico, according to PAHO. It’s urging soccer fans to be sure they’re vaccinated, with a health campaign saying a single measles patient can spread the virus to up to 18 unprotected people.
Is Ebola a concern at the World Cup?
Brown University’s Dr. Craig Spencer, who survived Ebola while working in the West Africa outbreak over a decade ago, said he’s repeatedly asked about the risk of Ebola during the World Cup — but “for me, Ebola is not the No. 1 or No. 2 or even No. 3 threat.”
“I am concerned about importation of measles, I am much more concerned about the importation of other infectious threats that may not seem as scary to us as Ebola,” Spencer said.
Many health experts agree that the risk of Ebola spreading in the U.S. is very low. That’s partly because of government travel screenings and restrictions on people recently in outbreak-affected areas. Moreover, Ebola spreads by contact with bodily fluids from someone showing symptoms, not through the air like measles or respiratory viruses.
“One fortunate thing about this virus is you’re most contagious when you’re really quite ill. It’s not like COVID, where you could be sitting next to someone who doesn’t even know they’re infected and perhaps contract the virus,” said Jennifer Nuzzo, director of Brown’s Pandemic Center.
How to spot brewing diseases
There’s precedent for germs invading major sporting events. Canadian scientists linked a community measles outbreak to the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, and clusters of norovirus had to be contained during the Olympics this year in Milan and in 2018 in South Korea.
One way to detect signs of trouble: People with certain viral or bacterial infections shed genetic material that sophisticated testing of wastewater can spot. For example, measles can appear in wastewater days before an emergency room sees its first patients.
A recent surveillance reports from Katz’s center note that wastewater testing recently found diarrhea-causing rotavirus, hepatitis A and norovirus in some parts of the U.S., something to watch as soccer crowds arrive.
In Dallas, officials ramped up wastewater screening including at the international airport, casting a wide net rather than looking for specific illnesses, said Dr. Phil Huang, director of Dallas County Health and Human Services.
His team also is enhancing the usual mosquito testing, checking not just for West Nile virus that regularly spreads in the U.S. but for viruses more common in other countries like dengue and chikungunya.
Public health officials have been preparing for months, said Philadelphia’s Raval-Nelson, including with mock emergency drills and communications with counterparts around the country.
“I don’t want to send a message that there’s one key thing,” she said. “We have the frameworks in place to carry out what we need to.”
Australian referee Shaun Evans says he didn’t intend to ‘communicate a message, affiliation, game or belief of any kind’.
Published On 15 Jun 202615 Jun 2026
FIFA says it has found “no evidence” that one of the referees at the World Cup breached its code of conduct after he was accused of making a white supremacist hand gesture during one of the games.
“FIFA’s independent Disciplinary Committee can confirm that, after looking into the matter involving support video assistant referee Shaun Evans, it has found no evidence of breaches of the FIFA Disciplinary Code,” football’s global governing body told Al Jazeera in an emailed statement on Monday.
Earlier, FIFA’s discrimination monitor at the World Cup called for Evans, working as a VAR official in the tournament, to be removed for appearing to make a hand gesture resembling a white supremacist sign.
When the official broadcast of Germany’s opening game against Curacao on Sunday cut pre-game to show the team of video review analysts, Australian official Evans made an “OK” symbol with his right hand in front of his right leg.
Though the game was played in Houston, video officials work in Dallas at the World Cup broadcast centre.
Evans said the hand gesture was not intentional, nor did he make it to “communicate a message, affiliation, game or belief of any kind”.
“The only explanation I can offer is that the movement was an involuntary, subconscious twitch and I was unaware I had done it at the time,” the official said in a statement shortly before FIFA announced its decision.
“Images taken later during the match showed that I repeated this movement many times while holding a pen between my fingers,” Evans went on to add.
“The coverage following this incident simply does not reflect who I am. Of course, I understand how the gesture has been interpreted and I regret this; however, I want to be very clear and categorically say that I did not knowingly or deliberately make the hand symbol suggested.”
Saka, who will make his 50th appearance for England in his next match, played 27 minutes of England’s warm-up game against Costa Rica as the forward’s game-time was managed by Tuchel.
The winger was taken off in the Champions League final as Arsenal lost to Paris-St Germain in Budapest with the scores level at the time of his substitution.
Saka’s performance in that match was criticised, but when asked if he found it frustrating being judged while not 100% fit, he said it is a “gamble” he is willing to take.
“Yeah, but I think as players it’s the biggest gamble, especially if you’re not feeling your sharpest. You have the choice whether you don’t play or you put yourself out there knowing that people are going to judge you the same,” Saka said.
“And at the end of the day people don’t really care how you’re feeling, they expect you to deliver, they expect you to perform.
“I’m happy to take that gamble and it paid off I’d say, and I’m going to continue doing that – but like I said I’m feeling a lot better than I did in March and I’m ready to go, so I’m excited.”
Saka is competing for a starting spot on the right wing with Arsenal team-mate Noni Madueke, but says that despite competing for game-time for club and country they want the best for each other.
“It’s quite unique, two players that play in the same position to be as close as we are,” Saka said.
“I don’t really know how it works, but it works. Noni is like my brother on and off the pitch. We push each other and we speak every day.
“We have that mutual respect for each other and we want each other to do well.
“The good thing is that we play on the same team and that if one of us is doing well it is good for the other.”
Lamine Yamal comes off the bench but cannot help Spain overcome World Cup debutants Cape Verde in 0-0 draw.
Published On 15 Jun 202615 Jun 2026
Spain’s ghosts of recent World Cup horror shows reappeared in Atlanta as the European champions were held 0-0 by debutants Cape Verde in their opening game.
Lamine Yamal was left on the bench as the Barcelona superstar is eased back to fitness after nearly two months out with a hamstring injury and even his appearance as a second-half substitute failed to break down Cape Verde’s dogged defence.
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Since winning the World Cup for the first time in 2010, Spain have not won a knockout game and their inability to make dominance of possession count was reminiscent of their meek exits in 2018 and 2022.
Blessed with what coach Luis de la Fuente claimed is the best squad in the competition, Spain were considered among the pre-tournament favourites to go all the way and lift the World Cup on July 19.
But the importance of Yamal and Nico Williams to their chances of success was underlined by a flat performance.
Williams also had an injury-disrupted season at Athletic Bilbao and was not introduced until the 87th minute.
Ranked 67 in the world, Cape Verde were making their debut on the global stage and did a nation of just over 500,000 people proud.
In stark contrast to the searing temperatures faced by some other sides, Atlanta’s state-of-the-art air conditioned stadium meant there was no excuses for the slow tempo of Spain’s build-up.
Indeed the mid-half hydration break was met by boos with fans frustrated at the break in play despite the cool conditions.
It took until six minutes before half-time for Spain to seriously threaten.
Marc Cucurella, fresh for sealing his move from Chelsea to Real Madrid, sent over a teasing cross that Ferran Torres turned onto the crossbar and Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha got back on his feet to turn Mikel Oyarzabal’s looping header over the bar.
Torres tested Vozinho again moments later before Aymeric Laporte’s header from a corner was also clawed away by the Cape Verde number one just before half-time.
The break came at a good time for the Blue Sharks and they comfortably held out in the second period until Yamal’s entrance after the second hydration break.
Billed as one of the stars of the tournament, Yamal’s appearance instantly lifted the crowd and injected life into the pedestrian Spanish attack.
His first involvement set up a decent opening for fellow substitute Mikel Merino which was too close to Vozinha.
Yamal also began the move that saw Oyarzabal’s effort deflected over with Spain’s best chance of the second half.
Cape Verde nearly snatched a famous victory in the final minute of the 90 when Dani Borges planted a header too close to Unai Simon.
Spain’s road to victory in 2010 also began disappointingly with defeat to Switzerland, but they have much to work on ahead of facing Saudi Arabia in Atlanta once more on Sunday.
![Protesters outside the Los Angeles Stadium [Ali Harb/Al Jazeera]](https://i0.wp.com/occasionaldigest.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/1000180724-1781564207.jpg?w=640&ssl=1)
