The Iranian World Cup team has faced issues stemming from the Middle East War, before a peace deal was signed last night.

15 members of the Iranian delegation initially had their US visas denied and 10 sent in fresh applications, after they touched down at their base in Mexico.

Four members of staff won their appeals but 11 will not be allowed to travel into the US for their matches, according to the BBC. One of the applications that was rejected for a second time was for the president of the Iran Football Federation, Mehdi Taj.

This came after United States secretary of state Marco Rubio all Iranian players will be allowed to go into the US for their matches. He added that people with links to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps could face restrictions.

On Wednesday, FIFA president Gianni Infantino said: "I'm very happy because I went to see myself the Iranian team in Turkey in March and people were saying it would be impossible for Iran to come to the World Cup.

"I promised them that they would come and if I had to go with a bus to Tehran and drive them I would do that."

Sweden's Yasin Ayari made his World Cup debut yesterday and scored in their 5-1 trashing of Tunisia, but the 22-year-old did not celebrate his goal.

The Brighton midfielder kneeled after his goal. Ayari was born in Solna, Sweden, to a Tunisian father and Moroccan mother.

Ayari played for Sweden's youth teams but was given the option to switch and play for Tunisia ahead of the 2022 World Cup. The young midfielder declined.

Earlier this year, his father Azzouz Ayari told a Swedish newspaper: "I wanted him to play for Sweden. He must feel like he's giving back to the country that took care of him."

Yasin Ayari after scoring his team's first goal at the World Cup(Image: AFP via Getty Images)

Jordan Henderson has backed Jude Bellingham to bring the "X factor" to England’s shot at World Cup glory.

Thomas Tuchel's men will face Croatia in their Group L opener on Wednesday, in Dallas, Texas.

Bellingham is among the main discussion points as he competes with close friend Morgan Rogers to start as number 10 for England.

Henderson, the first Englishman to be selected for seven tournaments, believes Bellingham could be the difference for England this time around.

He said: "I honestly couldn’t speak highly enough of him." Henderson added: "What he gives us is just something really special. I think he really gives us the X factor in our team."

The 35-year-old continued praising the young Real Madrid star and said: "He's had big moments in his career, he's a big game player. He's got experience in tournaments, so he's a huge, huge player for us in this tournament."

The world could be in store for another cringe Donald Trump moment during a football final.

FIFA has reportedly told the US President that he will be allowed to be at the centre of the World Cup final and hand the coveted trophy directly to the captain of the winning team, according to talkSPORT.

Typically the World Cup trophy is kept on a plinth while medals are handed out, then the captain of the winning team takes it the podium.

Trump left the world cringing at the Club World Cup final, in July 2025, when he stayed with Chelsea and stood next to captain Reece James during the trophy lift. FIFA president Gianni Infantino was seen awkwardly trying to move Trump away from the front of the podium.

Sources have reportedly said FIFA will leave the trophy decision for the 2026 World Cup up to the President but Washington insiders have reportedly claimed Trump is likely to take a slice World Cup glory for himself.

Donald Trump stands with Chelsea players after they won the Club World Cup, in July 2025(Image: Getty Images)

Croatia are ready to face "master of the game" Harry Kane in Wednesday's World Cup opener against England, according to defender Duje Caleta-Car.

All eyes will be on the AT&T Stadium, in Dallas, Texas, as Thomas Tuchel's men kick-off Group L against the side that broke the nation's heart in the 2018 semi-finals.

England went on to beat Croatia at the beginning of their run to the European Championship final three years later, when sharpshooter Kane left a lasting impression on Zlatko Dalic's side.

Former Southampton defender Caleta-Car said: "Kane impressed me in our match against England at the European Championship, even though he didn’t score. His movement and positioning – you can clearly see he's a master of the game and knows exactly what he's doing."

England won that Wembley encounter 1-0 against Croatia, who finished third at the following year's World Cup and are expecting a tough afternoon in their Texas curtain raiser.

England will face Croatia at 9pm UK time on Wednesday.

Harry Kane in a training session on Sunday(Image: AFP via Getty Images)

FIFA are set to investigate after an official was accused of making a gesture associated with white supremacy during a World Cup match.

Australian referee Shaun Evans, 38, was 'support VAR' for Germany's 7-1 win against Curacao in Group E on Sunday.

When the broadcast cut to the match officials in the VAR room before kick-off, as has become customary at the World Cup, Evans appeared to make an upside down 'OK' signal with his right hand on his thigh.

The gesture has been associated with the 'white power' movement. The Australian white supremacist Brenton Tarrant made the symbol when he appeared in court following his 2019 arrest for murdering 50 people in a shooting at two mosques in New Zealand.

That year, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) said that the OK symbol had become a 'popular trolling tactic' from 'right-leaning individuals'.

However, the gesture is also associated with a playground game. A person would make the symbol below their waist and anyone who looks is punched.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE.

Australian referee Shaun Evans(Image: FIFA via Getty Images)

Los Angeles will forever be known as a place which blurs fact with fiction. Making it the most fitting host of a sporting movie hitting the big screens tomorrow, which promises to be nothing short of surreal.

Forget the notion sport and politics should never mix. Because the World Cup showdown between Iran and New Zealand will represent a concept even the most warped imagination would struggle to come up with. One which will see football and war collide head on.

Billions around the globe will hold their breath in anticipation of an event of remarkable and historic circumstances. And one of them will be Gianni Infantino.

Because he knows FIFA's slogan that 'football unites the world' faces its greatest ever threat of being dumped in an American trash can.

Iran will become the first team in history to compete on soil belonging to a host nation, with which it is at war with.

Just take a moment to compute this. Never before will a game of football take place against a backdrop which makes a complete and utter mockery of the moronic message of unity FIFA president Infantino continues to peddle. Welcome to La La Land.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE.

Doubts were cast over whether the 18-year-old Barcelona striker would be fit enough for the start of the tournment, following an injury.

Yamal missed the end of the 2025-26 season for his club after picking up a hamstring injury in April. He was snapped at Spain's training session in Atlanta, Georgia, on Sunday.

Ahead of today's highly anticipated first match for the tounrment favourites, head coach Luis de la Fuente confirmed the teen was in "perfect condition" but will not be starting against Cape Verde.

In a pre-match press conference, De la Fuente said: "The good news is that Lamine is in perfect condition." He added: "The doctors say Lamine can play tomorrow without any issues. Not to play 90 minutes, but to play some minutes, yes."

Lamine Yamal at a training session on Sunday(Image: Lavandeira jr/EPA/Shutterstock)

Yamal participating in Spain's opening training session, on Sunday(Image: MI News/NurPhoto/Shutterstock)

Sweden's head coach Graham Potter led his side to a stunning victory over Tunisia in the early hours of the morning.

The Swedes thrashed the north African country 5-1 and were steered to sucsess by their English head coach, who was dismissed by West Ham in September.

After his first match of the tournament, Potter said: "You never know how things are going to go. We were optimistic because we felt confident in the work.

"But until the game is played you don't know for sure. That's the beauty of sport. We are delighted with how we performed tonight and it's a great start for us."

Liverpool's Alexander Isak and Arsenal's Viktor Gyökeres were among the goalscorers for Sweden last night.

Graham Potter during the match between Sweden and Tunisia(Image: PETTER ARVIDSON/BILDBYRÅN/Shutterstock)

The schedule for Monday June 15

World Cup matches for Monday June 15(Image: Daily Mirror)

Iranian footballer Mehdi Taremi claimed the controversry surrounding their World Cup campaign has undermined FIFA's message of peace.

The Olympiakos striker and Iran's coach Amir Ghalenoi spoke at a press conference in Los Angeles, on Sunday.

Taremi said: "This kind of tension undermines that joy and it undermines the message of Fifa and our people, which is about football and bringing about peace.

"I think this World Cup could have provided a better atmosphere than it has and I hope in the future it will be better for all fans, whoever they are supporting.

"It’s not just Iran that has been impacted, others have been impacted, including referees. I have felt the tension from the first moment we arrived at this World Cup. Of course, we don’t have the same beautiful experience we usually talk about – peace and joy.

"I know several countries had visa problems and changing of training camps. The tension exists – it did before the World Cup even started."

Iran head coach Amir Ghalehnoy (r) and player Mehdi Taremi (l) at a press conference on Sunday(Image: AP Photo/Andre Penner)

Spain yesterday confirmed that their star striker Lamine Yamal will be available against Cape Verde but will not start.

The 18-year-old suffered an injury scare in the weeks leading up to the tournament but Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente said the teen was "in perfect condition".