With March 3 marking 100 days until the 2026 World Cup opens, a string of playoffs this month will decide the final six places in the expanded 48-team tournament. But geopolitical tensions, public-safety questions and steep costs are complicating preparations.
Recent US and Israeli strikes on Iran and Iran’s retaliatory actions across the region have added uncertainty to the build-up. Iran — which secured qualification last year — could be replaced on the pitch by another side, most likely Iraq, if authorities decide the team cannot participate. Iran Football Federation president Mehdi Taj told state television that a response to the attacks is inevitable and that the situation will be reviewed by senior sports officials. “This will surely be studied by the country’s high-ranking sports officials and there will be a decision on what’s going to happen,” he said, warning that hopes for looking ahead to the World Cup have been undermined by the violence.
No final decision has been made about Iran’s men’s team. Iran’s women, meanwhile, began their Asian Cup campaign in Australia with a loss to South Korea; Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese has said Australia supports the United States, although Australia has not been directly involved in attacks on Iran.
Iran’s men’s team is scheduled to play all three group matches on US soil — against New Zealand and Belgium in Los Angeles, and against Egypt in Seattle — and FIFA says it is closely monitoring developments. General secretary Mattias Grafström emphasized the organization’s aim “to have a safe World Cup with everybody participating.”
Security and travel complications extend beyond the battlefield. Many Iranian fans remain subject to a US travel restriction introduced under former president Donald Trump, a list that also affects citizens of Ivory Coast, Senegal and Haiti; players and accredited officials are exempt. Potential visitors have reported concerns about a perceived hostile environment and enforcement by immigration authorities.
Talk of a coordinated European boycott has cooled, but unpredictability around the US president and the high-profile relationship between the head of FIFA, Gianni Infantino, and US political figures has added political noise. Infantino attended the launch of Trump’s Board of Peace shortly before the Iran strikes and was photographed wearing a MAGA-style cap at that event, raising questions about optics and independence.
Cost is another flashpoint. Reported final ticket prices start around $2,000, with premium seats listed at roughly $8,680 and some resale listings reaching six figures — including a recent FIFA portal listing at $143,750. FIFA is keeping an unspecified number of tickets in reserve for an April release after qualifiers conclude, a move some fear will push secondary-market prices even higher. The weak regulation of resale platforms, including FIFA’s own, has alarmed fans and consumer advocates.
Logistics make attending matches costly as well. Many US venues are car-oriented; at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, parking for a matchday could run about $300 and still require a substantial walk to the arena. Those added expenses far exceed what many fans pay for domestic sports events at the same venues.
Fan parks and public viewing events — staples of recent World Cups — are also in doubt. A partial US federal shutdown has delayed nearly $900 million intended for the 11 US host cities, jeopardizing plans for fan festivals, watch parties and other ancillary events. Ray Martinez, chief operating officer of the Miami World Cup Host Committee, warned that tough decisions will be needed and that the fan festival could be cut unless funding is resolved soon. “The matches up at the stadium will take place, but preparing for all the impromptu events and watch parties that we are expecting to see will be in jeopardy,” he said. Other host cities have issued similar cautions.
Security concerns have surfaced in Mexico as well after a wave of violence following the killing of a drug cartel boss in late February. Mexico City will host the tournament opener — Mexico vs. South Africa on June 11 — and matches will be played in three Mexican cities. Mexican president Claudia Sheinbaum said FIFA would visit to assess safety and that Infantino had expressed “full confidence” in Mexico’s ability to host. Two Canadian cities, Toronto and Vancouver, are also scheduled to stage matches.
As the countdown reaches three digits, organizers, governments and fans face converging challenges: geopolitical tensions that could affect teams and supporters, ticketing and travel costs that risk pricing out many followers, and logistical and funding hurdles that may reshape the fan experience. How those issues are resolved will shape not only who plays in the tournament but how fans around the world are able to join it.
Edited by: Chuck Penfold