FIFA World Cup '26: News & Analysis

I received a press release from the Senegal Football Association.

🚨🚨 LE SÉNÉGAL 🇸🇳 CLARIFIE LA SITUATION SUITE À LA VIDÉO VIRALE SUR LES CONTRÔLES DE L’ÉQUIPE SUR LE TARMAC SUR LE SOL AMÉRICAIN 🇺🇸 👇

🗞️ « 𝘚𝘶𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘢̀ 𝘭𝘢 𝘥𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘴𝘶𝘳 𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘳𝘦́𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘹 𝘴𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘶𝘹 𝘥’𝘶𝘯𝘦 𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘦́𝘰 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘥𝘦𝘴… https://t.co/lIooN8ojVi pic.twitter.com/LINt3OM7aK

— Actu Foot (@ActuFoot_) June 9, 2026

People thought it was during Senegal's arrival in the USA.

It was really during their departure from Raleigh, NC to San Antonio, TX.
It was security screening.

 

The DHS has a bit of a foot fetish.

 

So I understand the security checking pictures we've received were made before the teams took flight and not at their arrival in the USA.

I work in a media and I ocus on fact-checking. Beware about some videos without context. It was my advice.

I remember I was chosen for a further security check before I took my flight from the Quebec City Airport.

 

Yes but on the tarmac?

 

Regardless of some observations regarding what we hear about in terms of organizational matters, I just want to commend the United States for teaching us Moroccans a lesson. When we hosted the recent Africa Cup of Nations, we provided the best stadiums and hotels and went to great lengths to welcome the visiting teams and their fans, Scenes of welcoming guests with dates, milk, and music. But in the end, it became clear that good intentions don't always mask bad intentions. The images coming from the World Cup lands taught us that you should not do more than what was asked of you, provide the services requested and that's it.

One example is Senegal during AFCON, they made an official announcement regarding their arrival time in the city where they played their semi-final match. They were then surprised by the large number of fans who was alerted by that announcement and gathered to welcome them, they sent an official protest to CAF regarding the crowds and what they called "insufficient security personnel". However, the images I saw of the Senegalese team being searched at the US airport in that manner (doesn't matter if it happened during arrival or departure it's still the host nation) were not followed by an official protest. In fact, when the players disembarked from their bus, fans were waiting for them right at the bus door! If this had happened in Morocco, they would have raised a huge outcry. And of course they wouldn't dare to leave the pith and ruin a beautiful tournament.

Also the Egyptians was annoyed they had to change the city in AFCON knockout phase, well now they will have to change countries in the first round, man I saw the game Vs. Brazil they were sitting on noncovered bench with the sun right on their head. Now of course don't mean that Morocco should be indifferent or fail to present a positive image in future events they'd host, I mean that it shouldn't exaggerate the matter.

 

Also about the tarmac, the release said their buswent from their hotel to the airport and tarmac directly, to avoid all the security files. The security check was made in the tarmac.

 

🗣️ “I want to say thank you to Algeria for choosing Lawrence, Kansas.” 🇺🇸

The locals in USA are all getting behind Algeria. 🇩🇿 pic.twitter.com/e2kejLtxjb

— Dean Ammi (@AlgerianFooty) June 8, 2026

 

While the main point remains, there are reports that Iran's team will be allowed to fly into the venues one day before the match. The team could then presumably be hassled for many hours on the day of the arrival and play the next day -- then fly out of the US.

There is a joke about how this will all work out if Iran advances on to the knock out rounds and the game goes to penalties, given how Iran's team is supposed to quickly leave the US after each match. The joke is basically about Iran having to take their penalty shots from Mexico

 

Class when the US have none

Mr. Artan would be welcomed and celebrated in British Columbia for what he’s overcome and where he is today. Let’s have him referee in Vancouver. https://t.co/ynXRy0jAqY

— David Eby (@Dave_Eby) June 9, 2026

 

I am utterly disgusted with how the US has treated this case, with their refusal to grant entry to this referee. I am equally disgusted with FIFA failing to stand up and at least condemn this action. But while Canada's behavior may not match that of the US by any stretch of imagination, I wouldn't be too complementary of Canada's own actions either. The Canadians have also adopted some US like classifications and engaged in politicized acts that have in the recent past crossed over into the sports arena as well.

 

True, that's why David Eby (Premier of BC) deserve the praise and not the Prime Minister of Canada who's deserves to be called "Two-Face"

 

In the Omar Artan case, beyond the refusal to let him enter the US, it's the way it happened that bothers me.

If Trump simply wanted to refuse any Somali national on American soil, the move would have been not to grant him a visa in the first place. But Artan did get his US visa. It was only after landing, with all his paperwork in order, that he was turned away at the border and put back on a plane to Istanbul.

It feels like this was set up to maximize media impact, and probably to humiliate Infantino as well, forcing him to show the world he can only "take note" of whatever Washington decides.

 

This show, which will run daily though the World Cup, just dropped its first episode today on Netflix. Haven't seen it yet, but looks good:

 

Is he actually a good ref? Serious question.