The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off in June — and HuffPost will be live-blogging every twist, turn and controversy from the buildup through the final of what’s widely shaping up to be the most political soccer tournament of all time.From the action on the pitch to the potential chaos off it, the storylines are already piling up: Iran’s possible non-participation amid Donald Trump’s war, the president’s close relationship with FIFA’s Peace Prize-awarding President Gianni Infantino, and simmering tensions between the U.S. and fellow host nations Mexico and Canada fueled by Trump’s tariffs and divisive rhetoric.Trump’s travel bans could keep some fans out, there’s been fury over soaring ticket prices, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents could be present at games as the Trump administration continues its anti-immigration crackdown.Not to mention extreme heat concerns that scorched all those involved the last time the U.S. hosted the tournament some 32 years ago, in 1994.And that’s all before a ball has been kicked.U.S. President Donald Trump received the FIFA Peace Prize from FIFA President Gianni Infantino in December.Andrew Harnik via Getty ImagesOn the field, the men’s national teams from 48 countries will compete in a record 104 matches across the three host nations in what will be the biggest World Cup in history.Mexico will take on South Africa at the iconic Mexico City Stadium in the opening game on June 11. The U.S. will play Paraguay in Los Angeles on June 12, Australia in Seattle on June 19 and Turkey back in Los Angeles on June 25, in the group games, before potentially competing in the later knockout rounds.The final will be held on July 19 at MetLife Stadium, which is being temporarily rebranded as the New York/New Jersey Stadium for the competition.Current European champions Spain are favorites to lift the trophy. Defending champions Argentina, of Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi fame, along with France, England and Brazil, are also expected to be in the mix.Check out the full games schedule on the FIFA website.Follow along with our coverage below:Senegal Rejects Discrimination Claims After World Cup Airport Security Video Goes ViralSenegal's football federation (FSF) moved on Tuesday to explain social media footage showing their World Cup squad undergoing security checks on an airport tarmac, after the images prompted accusations of discriminatory treatment.Videos circulated online showed Senegal players being screened by airport security before travelling from Raleigh, North Carolina to San Antonio, Texas for a warm-up friendly against Saudi Arabia ahead of the tournament.In response to outrage over the players' treatment, the FSF stressed that all checks were carried out in compliance with "applicable airport security regulations" and were part of an arrangement to expedite travel."As part of the logistical arrangements for the trip, the bus transporting the national team left the hotel in Raleigh to go directly to the airport tarmac," the federation said in a statement."This procedure allowed the players and staff members to complete all security and police checks directly at the foot of the aircraft, without having to pass through the usual airport terminal areas and boarding lounges."This arrangement was primarily intended to optimize the delegation’s travel time and to facilitate boarding onto the private flight bound for San Antonio."A 10-man Senegal were held to a goalless draw by Saudi Arabia in the friendly on Tuesday. Senegal open their World Cup campaign against France on June 16 in New Jersey. They also take on Norway at the same venue on June 22 and Iraq in Toronto on June 26 in Group I matches.Latest Live UpdatesWorld Cup Champions' Passport Details Leaked In Security BlunderA security oversight leaked the passport details of every player in the Argentina squad for Tuesday’s pre-World Cup warm-up friendly against Iceland, including Lionel Messi, media reports said.Read more here:Volatile Summer Weather Threatens To Turn World Cup Into Test Of HeatThe World Cup will kick off on Thursday under familiar North American summer threats: extreme heat, suffocating humidity and thunderstorms capable of delaying matches with little warning.Seasonal forecasts indicate above-normal temperatures across large parts of the United States, while moisture flowing north from the Gulf of Mexico could fuel thunderstorms and severe weather during the opening weeks of the tournament.While conditions for individual matches cannot be predicted this far ahead, sports scientists say there are clear weather-related risks facing a summer World Cup spanning Canada, Mexico and the United States.The key measure is not air temperature alone but wet-bulb globe temperature, which incorporates heat, humidity, sunlight and wind to estimate heat stress on the body.World Weather Attribution has warned that roughly a quarter of matches could be played in conditions that exceed recommended safety limits.INTERNAL HEAT CHALLENGEChris Minson, a physiology professor and co-director of the Exercise and Environmental Physiology Labs at the University of Oregon, said elite players generate enormous internal heat even before the weather is considered."Seventy-five percent of all the energy that we utilise during exercise gets converted to heat," Minson told Reuters. "Only about 25% goes to actually doing the exercise."In hot, sunny or humid conditions, the body's normal cooling system begins to struggle. Humidity is a particular concern, since sweat cools the body only when it evaporates."One of the hardest things for us is when the humidity is very high," Minson said.High-humidity World Cup venues include Houston, Miami, Dallas and Monterrey.CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACT ON PERFORMANCEClimate change has increased the likelihood of temperatures high enough to affect player performance at 97 of the 104 tournament matches, according to new research from Climate Central.The biggest such increase is projected for the June 26 group-stage match between Uruguay and Spain in Guadalajara, where researchers estimated a 70% chance of performance-impairing heat - 37 percentage points higher than it would have been without climate change.Ryan Calsbeek, a biological sciences professor at Dartmouth College who studies how body type affects athletic performance in different climates, said heat and humidity could influence not only player welfare but the pace and style of matches."Higher temperature, higher humidity is likely to slow games down," he said. "When athletes have to perform for a very long time, they're just not going to be able to balance the explosive power of their fast-twitch efforts with the more aerobic long-term efforts of a 90-plus minute game in the heat and humidity."Nearly half of all matches face at least a 50% chance of temperatures exceeding 28 degrees Celsius (82.4 Fahrenheit) — a threshold linked to declines in sprinting, distance covered and recovery time.Calsbeek said Mexico City's altitude - some 2,240 meters (7,350 ft) above sea level - could also prove significant, particularly for those arriving from lower elevations without time to acclimatise. The city is set to host five matches.FIFA has said every match at the World Cup will include a three-minute hydration break in each half, while scheduling decisions took into account factors including average temperatures, travel, rest days, medical planning and cooling infrastructure.SAFETY PROTOCOLS QUESTIONEDSeveral venues feature retractable roofs or climate-control systems, and tournament regulations allow matches to be delayed, suspended, rescheduled or relocated for health, safety or security reasons, including severe weather.Minson said FIFA should mandate interventions when the wet-bulb globe temperature reaches 26C and should consider postponing matches around 28C to 30C.Minson also called for six-minute cooling breaks, shaded cooling areas, emergency ice baths and longer halftimes when conditions warranted."If you have a player who seems to be having some delirium or not thinking straight, or collapses on the field, you need to cool them down immediately," he said.For FIFA, the tournament is a logistical showpiece. For players, coaches and scientists, it may also be a test of how football adapts to a hotter future.Mexico City Closes Schools During World Cup Opener To Ease TrafficMexico City children will get an unexpected day off from school on Thursday, as president Claudia Sheinbaum ordered the suspension of classes in an effort to minimize traffic on the day the Mexican national team plays the World Cup opener against South Africa.Speaking Tuesday, Sheinbaum also told federal employees to work from home on Thursday, with the exception of essential services and those involved with World Cup matters.The Mexico-South Africa game will kick off at 1 p.m. local time, the first of 104 World Cup games to be spread across Mexico, Canada and the United States over the next six weeks.Sheinbaum said the decision regarding Thursday closures was made in an effort toward "improving conditions for mobility, road safety and accessibility, both for Mexico City inhabitants and visiting tourists, on the occasion of the inauguration of the 2026 FIFA World Cup."She added, "The private and social sectors in Mexico City are urged to implement remote working arrangements for all non-essential administrative activities."The Mexican national team plays a night game on June 18 against South Korea in Zapopan, Mexico, then concludes play in Group A against the Czech Republic in Mexico City on the night of June 24.Record Number Of Over-40 Players Set To Shine At The World CupIn a sport where youth is a highly prized commodity, the World Cup starting this week offers evidence you cannot keep a good man down.A record eight players aged 40 or older have been selected to play at the tournament in Canada, Mexico and the United States - one more than at all the past 22 tournaments combined.The previous entrants in this rarefied category include six goalkeepers and Cameroonian striker Roger Milla, who remains the oldest man to score at the finals after netting at 42 in the 1994 tournament.Milla's achievement won't be bettered this time around, but the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Luka Modric and Edin Dzeko will be looking to join him in the over-40 World Cup goalscorers' club.The oldest player of all at the 2026 finals will be 43-year-old Scotland goalkeeper Craig Gordon, who if he plays will slot into second spot in the all-time list of oldest World Cup competitors behind Egypt's Essam El Hadary, who was 45 when he kept goal for Egypt against Saudi Arabia in Volgograd in 2018.Gordon, however, is expected to back up first-choice Angus Gunn.Ronaldo is the oldest outfield player at 41 and participating in a record sixth World Cup, a distinction he shares with 40-year-old Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa, and Lionel Messi, who turns 39 later this month.Portugal coach Roberto Martinez said he would be relying on Ronaldo's vast experience above all else.“None have lived what he has in the number of decisive games he’s played over his career,” Martinez said.“He also brings experience in decisive moments that nobody else in the squad can match.”This tournament's other over-40s players include goalkeepers Vozinha from debutants Cape Verde and 2014 World Cup winner Manuel Neuer, who is hoping to be ready to play for Germany against Curaçao in Houston on Sunday after struggling with a calf injury.Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera celebrates his 40th birthday next Tuesday, the day after Uruguay take on Saudi Arabia in Miami in their first Group H match.While Messi and Ronaldo have each had injury issues in recent months, their reputations will be under no threat: Messi led Argentina to glory at the last World Cup, while Ronaldo already has behind him the remarkable record of scoring in all five tournaments he has played at.Ted Lasso Lands Special Star Role At U.S. World Cup OpenerDan + Shay will sing the national anthem and the star of "Ted Lasso," Jason Sudeikis, will also participate in the pregame festivities ahead of the United States' opening World Cup match.The U.S. will face Paraguay on Friday in Inglewood, Calif.Purahei Soul will perform the Paraguayan national anthem.In a Tuesday press release, FIFA announced that Sudeikis "will welcome fans to Los Angeles and celebrate the unifying power of football on the world's biggest stage."The pregame show already was scheduled to include performers Katy Perry, Future, Anitta, LISA, Rema and Tyla.FIFA has scheduled headline entertainers for performances ahead of the World Cup openers in all three of the co-host nations. Mexico plays its first match on Thursday against South Africa in Mexico City, while Canada opens on Friday against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Toronto.FIFA Boss Has Eyebrow-Raising 'Barbarians' Warning For Los Angeles Ahead Of World CupFIFA President Gianni Infantino warned Los Angeles on Tuesday that it was about to be invaded by soccer fans from around the world, as he helped launch World Cup festivities at a star-studded kickoff party at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.Speaking ahead of this week's opening matches, Infantino said the city would become a global gathering point during the 48-team tournament, which begins in Mexico City on Thursday before Los Angeles hosts the first U.S. match on Friday."You will be invaded," Infantino told the crowd. "You will be invaded by a horde of barbarians. But it's happy barbarians, don't worry."The event drew entertainment and sports figures, including actors Will Ferrell and Brendan Hunt, singer Lance Bass, former NBA player Robert Horry, and U.S. soccer greats Mia Hamm and Cobi Jones.'UNITE THE WORLD'Infantino said the tournament would turn Los Angeles and other host cities into a sea of national colors as fans of all ages arrive in jerseys, flags and face paint."Men, women, children, grandparents, doesn't matter, they will all have their faces colored with the colors of their countries," he said. "They will just want to enjoy and have fun because that's what we want to do with the World Cup - we want to unite the world."The tournament, hosted by the U.S., Mexico and Canada, is the first to feature 48 national teams. Infantino said a quarter of the world's countries would be represented on the field, while billions more would follow the tournament globally."This is not just a World Cup," he said. "This will be the biggest and greatest FIFA World Cup in history."LOS ANGELES IN THE SPOTLIGHTLos Angeles is scheduled to host eight matches, along with fan festivals and 10 fan zones across the area. Infantino thanked local organizers for staging the events, saying the city's role reflected its standing as "the capital of entertainment in the world."The U.S. will open their campaign on Friday at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood against Paraguay after an opening ceremony featuring musical performances by Katy Perry, Future and Anitta.Infantino likened the scale of the tournament to staging "104 Super Bowls" over a little more than a month, referring to the total number of matches across the three host countries. "For the next month and a half, we can call it football or soccer, as long as we enjoy and have fun," he said.Somali World Cup Referee Denied Entry To U.S. Arrives Home To Hero's WelcomeA World Cup referee from Somalia who was denied entry to the United States was received by a crowd of supporters and officials Wednesday as he arrived in Somalia’s capital of Mogadishu, where he said he plans to be at the next World Cup and urged Somali youths to be proud of their country.Omar Artan was set to be the first referee from Somalia to officiate at a World Cup after making FIFA’s final list for the tournament. He is one of Africa’s top referees and was named the continent’s best male referee in 2025.He was denied entry at Miami International Airport on Saturday over “vetting concerns,” U.S. Customs and Border Protection said in a statement without giving details of those concerns. FIFA subsequently cut him from the tournament's referee list.Artan was issued a visa to travel to the U.S. last week, according to the Somalia Embassy in Kenya that processed it. U.S. is co-hosting with Mexico and Canada, and Artan was due to meet up with other World Cup referees at their training base in Miami.He returned to a hero’s welcome at the airport in Mogadishu, where he thanked the Somali government and people as well as FIFA for their support for him.“I promise you, God willing, that I will attend the next one,” he said as hundreds of supporters at the airport waved the Somali flag. “I want the Somali public to take comfort in this and remain confident.”The U.S.'s highly unusual move to deny a FIFA-appointed match official permission to enter a World Cup host country drew outrage across the world and raised questions among some fans about America's capacity to host the competition.Somalia is one of nearly 40 countries subject to new travel restrictions under the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigration.Hundreds of supporters, government officials and members of Somalia’s football community gathered hours before Artan arrived at Aden Adde International Airport at about 8:30 a.m. local time.As Artan disembarked, supporters waving Somali flags crowded around him before draping him in the flag.He was then escorted by police officers to the airport’s VIP terminal, where he was welcomed by Somalia’s Minister of Youth and Sports, officials from the Somalia Football Federation and other dignitaries and spoke to press.“It is up to all of us to defend the Somali name,” Artan said. “Somalia belongs to us, whether it is in a bad state or a good state. That flag belongs to us, and that passport belongs to us.”In a country where decades of war and the rise of the al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab extremist group has limited the potential of many, Artan's denial brought disappointment to many but reminded some in the country about what is possible if they chase their dreams.Artan's expected milestone at this year's World Cup “stands no matter what,” the World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus wrote Tuesday on X. “You reached the summit of your profession and inspired a generation back home just by getting there, and being kept off the pitch you earned doesn’t change that,” he added.SoFi Stadium Workers Reach Deal To Avoid Strike Ahead Of World CupUnite Here Local 11, which represents about 2,000 food and beverage workers at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., announced a deal with their employer on Tuesday, just days before the first World Cup match.On Friday, workers had voted 96% to authorize a strike, citing wages, automation and plans for Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to participate in World Cup security.The new deal secures historic wage increases, employer contributions to an affordable housing fund, restrictions on subcontracting and automation, privacy protections and an unprecedented right to strike if the union determines that federal immigration agents threaten workers' safety during the World Cup, the union said in a press release."These workers are heroes. They stood up to FIFA. They stood up to ICE," Unite Here Local 11 co-president Kurt Petersen said in a statement. "They won a historic contract, and they are ready for whatever comes during the World Cup."Interest In Soccer Growing Across North America Ahead Of World Cup: StudyJune 9 (Reuters) - North America's soccer fan base has grown 10.9% to more than 136 million people over the past five years, Nielsen said in a report released on Tuesday, highlighting growing interest ahead of the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.The study, covering audience trends across the three host nations, found that Lionel Messi’s debut for Inter Miami CF in the 2023 Leagues Cup drove a 173% leap in linear viewership compared with the tournament average.“The MLS Cup saw a 97% increase over 2024 with Inter Miami’s victory, proving that domestic soccer is reaping the benefits of increased interest as well,” Nielsen wrote.The United States has the fourth-largest soccer fan base globally, with 62.5 million followers, according to the report.“Nielsen’s new report illustrates the profound and measurable surge in popularity of soccer in North America, reinforcing the decision to host the FIFA World Cup 2026 across the continent,” a FIFA spokesperson said.About 64% of respondents expect their interest in the sport to grow further, while nearly a quarter of fans have taken up soccer in the past five years, the report showed. Nearly seven in 10 said their interest had increased in the last three years as the tournament approaches.Mexico remains the region’s strongest market, where soccer leads all sports with 63% engagement, while it ranks fourth in the United States and third in Canada.The report said U.S. fans skew younger and more affluent, with 76% belonging to Millennial and Gen Z cohorts, and female engagement higher than in Europe.Across North America, 72% watch via television or streamed content, while social media remains a key secondary platform. The 2026 World Cup kicks off on Thursday.(Reporting by Karan Prashant Saxena in Bengaluru; Editing by Hugh Lawson)DHS Hypes Trump's 'Generosity' In Decision On Iran's World Cup TeamIran’s national soccer team, currently training in Tijuana, Mexico, will be able to enter the U.S. the day before each of their three World Cup matches, the Department of Homeland Security said on Tuesday. Read more below.See All Updates