The 2026 FIFA World Cup has kicked off — 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.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 are competing in a record 104 matches across the three host nations in what will be the biggest World Cup in history.The U.S. won its group by beating Paraguay 4-1, Australia 2-0, but losing 3-2 to Turkey. Team USA will play Bosnia & Herzegovina in the Round of 32 on July 2.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:World Cup Star Says New Injury 'One Of The Worst Days Of My Life'Spain's injury-hit Nico Williams admitted on social media that his latest setback, one that threatens his World Cup involvement, was one of the worst days of his life, but teammate Marcos Llorente said on Monday the winger's smile has already returned thanks to the squad's support.Williams, whose season has been hit by numerous injuries, has yet to start a game at the World Cup as manager Luis de la Fuente eased the 23-year-old back into action, and after coming on as a late substitute in their last game, his groin problems have returned.Spain beat Uruguay 1-0 on Friday to top their group and set up a round of 32 tie with Austria, but their win was marred by injuries to wingers Williams and Yeremy Pino."Today is one of the worst days of my life," Williams posted on Instagram. "I'm injured again after a very complicated year."Llorente was asked about his teammate's mood at Spain's training camp in Chattanooga."Social media... in the end you read a few words and you don't really know how that person is doing," he said. "It's true that this is a very difficult moment for him after everything he's been through this year. He's already handling it much better, he’s got that usual smile back."Obviously, inside he’ll have that pain of not being able to help the team, but we’re all helping him deal with it, just like with Yeremy. In the end, there are 26 of us who came here and 26 who will leave here. The group is very important. If we go far, maybe he can help at some point."Should Spain overcome Austria on Thursday, they will face Portugal or Croatia in the last 16, with a semi-final against favourites France very much a possibility."I don't look at the path ahead because you have to go step by step," Llorente said."I think it would be a mistake, and besides, you'd be imagining things that haven't happened yet. Everyone makes their own bracket and starts predicting who will go through in every match. I’m focused on Austria, which is what matters, and once we get past Austria, then we’ll start imagining."Latest Live UpdatesWorld Cup Weather Watch: France vs. SwedenHere's what fans can expect in New Jersey for the 2026 FIFA World Cup game between France and Sweden on Tuesday, including temperatures, the Fan Comfort Index (FCI) level and any weather concerns.See more World Cup weather news on The Weather Channel.1/22/2World Cup Weather Watch: Ivory Coast vs. NorwayHere's what fans can expect in Dallas for the 2026 FIFA World Cup game between Ivory Coast and Norway on Tuesday, including temperatures, the Fan Comfort Index (FCI) level and any weather concerns.See more World Cup weather news on The Weather Channel.1/22/2The 'Ghost Ticket' Nightmare Angering World Cup FansJeremy Wright knew exactly what he wanted to gift his wife, Sarah, for Christmas last year: tickets to a World Cup soccer game.Wright used U.S. resale platform StubHub and snagged two tickets to watch the Netherlands take on Japan on June 14.Or so he thought.Read more here:U.S. Captain Issues Warning Ahead Of Bosnia World Cup Knockout ClashA confident United States team eyeing a deep World Cup run face a Bosnia and Herzegovina side looking to spoil the co-hosts’ party in a last-32 clash in Santa Clara on Wednesday.Read more here:Markwayne Mullin Offers Most Undiplomatic Commentary On Iran World Cup ExitU.S. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin celebrated Iran’s elimination from the World Cup, saying he did a “happy dance,” Sports Business Journal reported on Monday.Read more here:World Cup Star's Emotional Goal Comes Days After Devastating Family LossThe outpouring of emotion from Cody Gakpo after he scored for the Netherlands against Morocco at the World Cup on Monday showed that while the tournament captivates billions around the world, the game does not transcend personal tragedy.Gakpo and his partner Noa van der Bij lost their unborn baby boy several months into the pregnancy last week, and when the striker scored the opening goal in the round-of-32 tie against Morocco, he fell in a heap on the ground and burst into tears.It was a moving moment for all in the stadium, with his Dutch teammates’ delight at going ahead in the game tempered by an immediate understanding of Gakpo’s grief, and their gestures of concern showed their empathy.Captain Virgil van Dijk had expressed as much on the eve of the game when he told reporters: “It’s awful news, and it shows that football is secondary. There are more important things in life.”Morocco equalised late on and eventually triumphed in a penalty shootout, eliciting more tears from the defeated Dutch but none that could compare with the raw emotion of Gakpo’s heartbreak.Just as poignant were the television pictures after his goal that showed his parents in the stands also in tears.Van der Bij had posted a picture on social media of the pair holding hands over a blanket and knitted hat."With broken hearts, we share the devastating news that our baby boy passed away during pregnancy," she wrote in announcing the news."Thank you for your love and support. Elijah Raphael Gakpo. Forever loved. Forever our son."She then posted a photo of a candle and cross, with the message: "We went to church to light a candle. Afterward, we walked to the church playground with our son Samuel.”Gakpo also posted on social media: "This is an incredibly difficult time for our family."We kindly ask for our privacy and space. Thank you for your understanding."Police Give Update On Fatal Shooting Near World Cup Fan ZoneA suspected drive-by shooting in San Jose, California, that killed one person and injured another near the Bay Area's main site for World Cup watch parties was an isolated incident and not related to the tournament, police said on Monday.A man was shot outside a ramen restaurant and pronounced dead about a block away from the San Pedro Square fan zone late on Sunday, while a second adult male collapsed in the square where thousands of World Cup fans have gathered to watch matches, witnesses told Reuters.The second victim was in hospital in critical condition but expected to survive, police said.A San Jose Police Department spokesperson said on Monday the victims were San Jose residents who were travelling together by foot and a suspect approached them in a car and fled after the shooting.Police are investigating the case as homicide, and said the motive and circumstances were unclear."I want to make clear that, although this was an isolated incident and unrelated to any World Cup watch activities, we understand the importance of fans and visitors feeling safe when coming to downtown San Jose," spokesperson Stacie Shih told reporters."The San Jose Police Department will be ensuring high visibility in and around the area. So, again, this is to make sure that our fans and visitors have a safe experience when they visit downtown San Jose."There were no World Cup games being screened at the fan zone at the time of the shooting which police responded to around 9:12 p.m. local time on Sunday.RAMEN RESTAURANTStaff at a ramen restaurant about a block away from the fan zone confirmed to Reuters on Monday that a victim of the shooting had died metres from their door.The other victim ran through a car park and collapsed in the fan-zone outside bars where he was attended to by medics, a bartender who witnessed the scene told Reuters on Monday."This shooting happened near an area where families and fans have been gathering for our World Cup watch parties, and that makes the brazenness of this crime even more unacceptable," San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan said in a statement on Monday."I am grateful that Sunday’s programming had ended hours earlier, and there is no indication this violence was connected to the event."San Jose has safely welcomed hundreds of thousands of people downtown, and we are not going to let one criminal act scare our community away from public spaces that belong to them."Security staff and police cleared San Pedro Square after the shooting and cordoned off the fan-zone.On Monday, the fan-zone was open and more than 100 fans watched the World Cup last-32 match between Japan and Brazil at the square which is lined by restaurants and bars.Fans were watching the match on a big screen at the same spot where the injured victim was treated by medics the night before.One street-front entrance to the fan-zone which was previously open was blocked by gates on Monday. Reuters counted six police officers in different parts of the fan zone and multiple security guards up and down the square.NO BAG-CHECKSOne security guard outside the square told Reuters he was not doing bag-checks of fans entering and was only stopping fans bringing alcohol into the square.Carlos Amarilla, a 32-year-old fan from Paraguay on vacation, was watching at the square on Monday and said he generally felt safe."I heard about the incident of last night but I read a little on social media and I understood it was something managed and one could go out regularly today," he told Reuters.“I believe that truly many people come here to enjoy, share, get to know the atmosphere of the party of the World Cup but there are always people who are looking to disrupt the atmosphere and make disturbances and those end in incidents happening."FIFA declined to comment on the incident but a source said world soccer's governing body was in constant touch with the authorities on measures related to fan safety.Paraguay Declares National Holiday After Dramatic World Cup Win Over GermanyParaguay President Santiago Peña declared that Tuesday will be a national holiday after the South American nation defeated Germany in Monday's FIFA World Cup match. The dramatic victory saw the underdog Paraguay best the powerhouse Germany with a sudden death penalty kick after playing to a 1-1 draw in regular and extra time. "Paraguay never gives up! Public holiday, damn it," Peña wrote on X. Paraguayan law allows the president to declare three additional national holidays per year. Peña also declared a national holiday in 2025 when the country qualified for the World Cup for the first time since 2010. ¡PARAGUAY NUNCA SE RINDE! ¡¡FERIADO CARAJO!! 🇵🇾— Santiago Peña (@SantiPenap) June 29, 2026Netherlands Falls To Morocco In Penalty Kicks For Earliest World Cup Exit In HistoryIsmael Saibari scored the decisive goal in a penalty shootout, and Morocco sent the Netherlands to its earliest World Cup exit, eliminating the Dutch 3-2 after a 1-1 draw on Monday night.With the shootout tied at 2-all after four rounds, Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou made a strong save of Crysencio Summerville’s attempt, batting it away with his left hand. Saibari then sent the winner into the low left corner as goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen went the other direction. The midfielder tore off his shirt and screamed with joy as he was mobbed by teammates.The Netherlands had reached at least the Round of 16 in 11 previous World Cups, including a quarterfinal appearance four years ago in Qatar, when Morocco made a breakthrough run to the semifinals. In this year’s expanded tournament, 32 teams reached the knockout stage for the first time.Morocco moves on to face Canada in the Round of 16 on Saturday in Houston.Read more from the Associated Press here: A Heat Dome Will Engulf World Cup Games In The Eastern US This Week. Here's What To ExpectThe World Cup games are heating up this week with knockout rounds, and so is the outdoor heat.A dangerous heat dome will engulf the central and eastern U.S. this week with heat index temperatures — which combine air temperature with humidity — soaring into the triple-digits in some areas. Conditions will bring above-average temperatures to World Cup host cities such as Boston, Philadelphia and Kansas City, Missouri, all of which have open-air stadiums.“This week is going to be very, very hot,” said Geoff Cornish, assistant chief video meteorologist for the weather forecasting company AccuWeather. “This is going be a significant heat wave, the likes of which we don’t see in every single year.”Concerns about extreme heat during the games taking place in the U.S., Canada and Mexico have been mounting for months. Worsening climate change, caused by burning oil, gas and coal, is fueling dangerous heat across the globe. In the U.S., heat kills more people every year than all other weather-related events, including hurricanes, flooding and tornadoes, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.Read more from the Associated Press here: See All Updates