The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicked off Thursday — and HuffPost is live-blogging every twist, turn and controversy 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 tough journey to the competition 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 have kept some fans and officials 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 everyone 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.President Donald Trump, left, received the FIFA Peace Prize from FIFA President Gianni Infantino, right, 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 beat 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:Major Illegal Streaming Network Busted Ahead Of World CupItaly's finance police said on Friday it uncovered three illegal broadband TV distribution hubs in Crotone, in the southern Calabria region, and reported four suspects, seizing assets worth about €650,000 ($751,900).Authorities said the sting was part of efforts to fight digital piracy ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in United States, Canada and Mexico, which opened on Thursday and for which the Italian national team failed to qualify.The network sold pirated subscriptions, giving access to paid content from platforms including Sky, DAZN, Netflix and Disney+.The illegal subscriptions cost between €10 and €40, including customer services.Investigators identified at least 2,769 users, with illegal proceeds reinvested into the legal economy and cryptocurrencies to conceal their origin.The four suspects, all Italian nationals, were reported for copyright violations and self-laundering.Users face administrative fines ranging from €154 to €5,000, police said.Latest Live UpdatesWorld Cup Weather Watch: USA vs. ParaguayHere's what fans can expect in Los Angeles for the 2026 FIFA World Cup game between the U.S. and Paraguay on Friday, including temperatures, the Fan Comfort Index level and any weather concerns.See more World Cup weather news on The Weather Channel.1/22/2Ireland Moves Israel Soccer Match Out Of Dublin After Gaza War ProtestsThe Republic of Ireland is to play its upcoming Nations League game against Israel at a neutral venue behind closed doors, the Football Association of Ireland said on Friday, after protests by players and fans over the death toll of Palestinian civilians during the war in Gaza.Ireland had been set to host Israel at Dublin's Aviva Stadium on October 4, while a September 27 fixture designated as an Israel home match is also expected to be staged at a neutral venue.But Irish footballers, fans and celebrities launched a campaign calling for a boycott of the game."Following consultation with various stakeholders, the Association is of the view that operational challenges could impact on the delivery of the game on home soil, so the fixture will be played away from the Aviva Stadium," the FAI said in a statement.Nearly 73,000 people in Gaza have been killed since the war began, most of them civilians, according to Gaza health authorities.Israel launched its assault after Hamas-led militants stormed across the border, killing 1,200 people and taking 251 Israeli and foreign hostages on October 7, 2023.Ireland has been one of the European Union's most outspoken critics of Israel's war in Gaza, and FAI members voted overwhelmingly in late 2025 for its board to request that UEFA immediately suspend the Israel Football Association from European competitions.United Nations experts have appealed to FIFA and UEFA to suspend Israel from international football, citing a U.N. Commission of Inquiry report that said Israel had committed genocide during the war in Gaza.Israel has denied committing genocide and described the report as scandalous.The FAI statement said that the Palestinian Football Association had "expressed its appreciation for the principled positions taken by the Football Association of Ireland in support of the rights of the Palestinian people and Palestinian athletes."Fox World Cup Analyst Calls Trump 'The Soccer President'Fox World Cup analyst Alexi Lalas dubbed Donald Trump “the soccer president” and praised his “soft power” skills in a podcast interview. Read more below.Iranian-American Soccer Fans Face Uneasy World Cup As War RagesWhen Iran kick off their World Cup campaign next week in Los Angeles, Iranian-American businessman Ehsan Shafi will be in the stands cheering on Team Melli, a rare chance to welcome the national side he adores to his adopted home.Instead of a moment of pure sporting celebration, however, the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran has left fans like Shafi torn between excitement at seeing the team on the world’s biggest stage, anger at Tehran’s crackdown on protesters, and concern that Washington’s bombing campaign has gone too far.Read more on Reuters:The Remarkable Refugee Journey Behind Australia's New World Cup HeroesBorn in refugee camps to parents displaced by conflict in Africa, three players will show the changing face of Australian soccer at the World Cup and look to answer the nation’s call for goals.Coach Tony Popovic is putting his faith in attackers Mohamed Toure and Nestory Irankunda, two young talents eyeing their first World Cup minutes in the Socceroos’ opening match against Turkey on Saturday.Read more on Reuters:Half-Empty World Cup Stadium Sparks Fresh Backlash Over Sky-High Ticket CostsFIFA reported an attendance of 44,985 for Thursday’s World Cup match between South Korea and the Czech Republic in Guadalajara, but swathes of empty seats around the stadium renewed concerns over ticket pricing and demand for the expanded tournament.Read more here:Heartbreak For Japan As Captain's World Cup Dream Comes To Cruel EndJapanese captain Wataru Endo withdrew from the World Cup due to injury Thursday and announced his retirement from international competition.The 33-year-old Liverpool midfielder has been dealing with an ankle injury that required surgery in February. He was hoping to be fit for the competition in North America, but experienced discomfort and played only the first half in a May 31 tune-up friendly against Iceland.The news comes just three days before Japan open Group F play against Netherlands on Sunday in Arlington, Texas.Endo has scored four goals in 73 caps for Japan since his 2015 debut with the national team. He helped the team reach the Round of 16 at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar."As announced, I will be stepping away from the World Cup squad," Endo wrote on social media."Of course, there's frustration at not being able to participate in this World Cup, but more than that, I'm proud of how we've grown together since the Qatar World Cup -- me as captain, leading this team and turning our goal of 'winning the World Cup' into something we can say as a matter of course."The current team is truly a wonderful team. I believe they will overcome any adversity and show us sights we've never seen before."With this campaign, I will be retiring from the national team. So from here on, I'll be cheering for the Japan national team as one of the fans. The moment when the Japan national team wins the World Cup will surely come some day. Let's believe in that and cheer them on together."And let's unite Japan's strength as one so that moment comes in this tournament --everyone, let's take on the North and Central America World Cup together!! Everyone, give it everything you've got."Shuto Machino, a striker for Bundesliga club Borussia Monchengladbach, replaced Endo on the 26-man World Cup roster.Japan will also face Tunisia on June 20 in Guadalupe, Mexico, and Sweden on June 25 in Arlington, Texas.Suspected Fake World Cup Jerseys Worth Millions Seized As Tournament Kicks OffAuthorities in Hong Kong have seized suspected counterfeit World Cup items including soccer jerseys and balls with an estimated value of HK$156 million ($19.91 million), officials said.The 2026 FIFA World Cup is running from June 11 to July 19, and is being hosted jointly by the U.S., Canada and Mexico.Wayne Chung, senior investigator at the city's Intellectual Property Investigation Bureau, told reporters on Thursday that 230,000 items had been seized.Chung said the jerseys seized had a close resemblance to genuine soccer shirts."Many of the jerseys are uniforms of the participating countries. We noticed all of these clothes are set to be exported to other countries, not for local market. At least 80% of them head to America," he said.He said that this was due to high demand for jerseys during the World Cup, which got underway on Thursday.U.S. Coach Mauricio Pochettino Issues Stark Paraguay Warning Ahead Of World Cup OpenerUnited States coach Mauricio Pochettino said his side must be prepared for a very difficult World Cup opener against Paraguay on Friday, warning that the South Americans are dangerous opponents despite the hosts being favoured.The U.S. begin their World Cup campaign at Los Angeles Stadium in Group D, carrying the expectations that come with playing on home soil and with a squad Pochettino said has arrived in strong physical, tactical and emotional condition.But the Argentine, who knows Paraguay well from his playing and coaching career, said Gustavo Alfaro's team would pose a serious challenge. "I know very well the mentality, the aggressivity, the competitivity," Pochettino told reporters on Thursday."Paraguay showed in qualification for this World Cup how tough it is to play against them and how they performed so well. They beat Argentina, Brazil. My expectation is tomorrow is going to be a very tough game."They have good quality and a great coach in Gustavo Alfaro who I respect and admire him a lot."ENCOURAGED BY RECENT RESULTSPochettino, appointed in 2024 to lead the U.S. into a home World Cup, said he was encouraged by the team's growth in the months leading into the tournament, particularly in their final two warm-up matches — a 3-2 win over Senegal and a narrow 2-1 defeat by Germany.The coach said those performances helped convince the squad they could hold their own against leading teams."The last two games allowed us to think and to feel that it's possible to do whatever we want and compete in our best way, and to compete with big teams," he said.Pochettino said the team had improved not only tactically but also mentally, adding that the players had embraced a more demanding culture around the national team."I think they are much better players. The mindset is starting to change," he said.LINEUP QUESTIONSPochettino said all 26 players were available for selection, including defender Chris Richards, who had been working his way back from an ankle injury.One decision Pochettino has already made is who will start in goal, though he declined to reveal whether Matt Turner or Matt Freese would get the nod."I decided," Pochettino said when asked about his starting lineup. "The starting 11 is there, unless something happens before the game."Asked whether the goalkeepers had been informed, he smiled and added: "I don't know if they know, because if I tell you they know, you are going to start to call them."'PLAY WITH PASSION'The Argentine said the U.S. must play with freedom and passion if they are to connect with home supporters and build momentum through the tournament."What we can do is contagious," he said. "We need to play with passion. We need to win games, so important, but play with passion and make the fans feel proud about what they are seeing on the field."Asked how he would define success for the U.S. at the tournament, Pochettino was unequivocal."For me, success is win," he said. "It's win tomorrow and win after tomorrow."When we signed here, it's because we wanted to come here and be involved in this unique event, but with the possibility to compete well and a belief in winning."Jason Sudeikis To Appear As Ted Lasso Before Team USA's Opening Match On FridayActor Jason Sudeikis, star of the hit Apple TV comedy-drama series "Ted Lasso," will appear at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles as his titular character ahead of the U.S.'s first FIFA World Cup match against Paraguay on Friday, according to a report from Sports Illustrated.Sudeikis will welcome fans to the match in character as an official World Cup ambassador. His inclusion in the event is indicative of the indelible impact the show, about a scrappy, ill-qualified Premier League soccer manager, has had on the sport's popularity in America. The U.S. opening ceremony will also include performances by Katy Perry, Future, Anitta, LISA, Rema and Tyla. Read more from Sports Illustrated here: See All Updates