World Cup Faces New Challenges with Iran War and Mexico Violence

The 2026 tournament kicks off in 100 days with geopolitical tensions, scaled-back fan festivals, and concerns over ticket prices and cartel violence in Mexico.

Published on Mar. 4, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The 2026 World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, is facing a new layer of complexity due to the ongoing war with Iran. Officials are grappling with how the conflict will affect the world's most watched sporting event, in addition to issues like cartel violence in one of Mexico's host cities, scaled-back plans for fan festivals in the U.S., and criticism from fans against soaring ticket prices.

Why it matters

The World Cup is a global event that often intersects with international politics and local issues. The 2026 tournament is no exception, with geopolitical tensions, security concerns, and economic factors all posing challenges for organizers as they work to deliver a successful and inclusive event.

The details

Officials of the qualified teams are meeting with FIFA staff in Atlanta this week to discuss the issues. The tournament kicks off on June 11 when Mexico plays South Africa in Mexico City. It will be the biggest World Cup ever with 48 participating teams, up from 32 at the previous tournament in Qatar. Some of the key issues include the uncertain status of Iran's participation due to the ongoing conflict, scaled-back plans for fan festivals in the U.S. due to funding and security concerns, and pushback against FIFA's high ticket prices.

  • The 2026 World Cup kicks off on June 11.
  • The U.S. and Israel launched coordinated attacks that killed Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and dozens more senior officials last weekend.
  • FIFA president Gianni Infantino told Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum that he has full confidence in Mexico as a World Cup host, despite the recent surge in cartel violence in the state of Jalisco.
  • The Select Board of Foxborough, Massachusetts has refused to issue a permit for World Cup matches at the New England Patriots' stadium and set a March 17 deadline to be paid $7.8 million.

The players

Gianni Infantino

The president of FIFA, the international governing body of association football, who has repeatedly promised the 2026 World Cup will be the greatest and most inclusive.

Claudia Sheinbaum

The president of Mexico, who insists the World Cup won't be affected by the recent surge in cartel violence and said there's no risk for fans coming to the tournament.

Mehdi Taj

The top soccer official in Iran, who said last weekend that after the U.S. and Israel's attacks, Iran cannot be expected to look forward to the World Cup with hope.

Donald Trump

The former president of the United States, who told Politico on Tuesday that he "really don't care" if Iran participates in the World Cup, saying "I think Iran is a very badly defeated country. They're running on fumes."

Joseph Maybin

The Kansas City, Missouri Police Deputy Chief, who said the city had an immediate need for federal funds to prepare security for the World Cup.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“What is certain is that after this attack, we cannot be expected to look forward to the World Cup with hope.”

— Mehdi Taj, Iran's top soccer official

“I really don't care, if Iran participates. I think Iran is a very badly defeated country. They're running on fumes.”

— Donald Trump (Politico)

“I have full confidence in Mexico as a World Cup host.”

— Gianni Infantino, FIFA President

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

The 2026 World Cup faces a complex array of geopolitical, security, and economic challenges that organizers must navigate in order to deliver a successful and inclusive tournament. The conflict with Iran, cartel violence in Mexico, and high ticket prices are just some of the issues that could overshadow the on-field action if not properly addressed.