Infantino’s rant, Trump shock, weather delay chaos – everything you need to know on World Cup opening day

need to know

Coach Gianni Infantino has broken his silence on the latest World Cup controversy after referee Omar Artan was refused entry as President Donald Trump is expected to ignore America’s first game in Los Angeles.

Here’s everything you need to know before the World Cup starts

Gianni Infantino on Iran: The FIFA president expressed relief that the Iranian national team will be able to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, despite major political obstacles. “We promised them they would come and if we have to take a bus to Tehran and drive, we will do it,” coach Gianni Infantino said at a press conference at the Estadio Azteca. Iranian Team Relocation: Due to geopolitical issues between Iran and the United States, the national team was forced to relocate its tournament base camp. Due to lingering friction from the ongoing conflict, the team relocated from Tucson, Arizona to Tijuana, Mexico. President Donald Trump plans to downplay U.S. opener: President Donald Trump is expected to miss the U.S. World Cup opener against Paraguay in Los Angeles, leading to a reorganization of the executive delegation attending the stadium. Secretary of State Marco Rubio was scheduled to attend instead, and President Trump was scheduled to travel to Washington, D.C., on Friday to attend a walkthrough of several UFC events over the weekend Omar Altan barred from entry: Somali referee Omar Altan was officially banned from entering the United States days before the World Cup tournament began. U.S. Customs and Border Protection stopped Artan at Miami International Airport on a flight from Istanbul and later declared him a national security threat. Reason for referee suspension: Trump administration representatives said the formal suspension of referees was due to security concerns. Specifically, a White House representative announced that Artan was denied entry due to his alleged “association with a suspected terrorist organization.” A Somali hero’s welcome: After being denied entry to the tournament, Artan returned to a grand reception by government officials and fans in Mogadishu, waving the Somali flag. Reflecting on missing out on the historic opportunity to become his country’s first World Cup referee, Artan said: “What happened happened, and it was unfortunate. I am grateful for the support that FIFA gave me.” Gianni Infantino on Visa backlash: In response to public anger over the suspension of the Somali referee and general administrative chaos, Infantino urged the media and pundits to remain calm. “Sometimes it’s good to ‘relax’ and relax. We’ll work on everything,” the FIFA chief told reporters, reminding reporters that FIFA does not override sovereign police and border controls. England friendly postponed: England’s final warm-up match against Costa Rica at a stadium in Orlando, Florida, was immediately postponed by an hour due to bad weather. Heavy rain left the pitch completely waterlogged and large screens at the venue displayed an emergency weather warning instructing arriving supporters to ‘shelter in place’ from local lightning hazards Details of Mexico vs South Africa World Cup opener: The tournament opener between Mexico and South Africa is scheduled to be held at Mexico City’s historic Estadio Azteca, with an official kick-off locked in at 8pm. UK TV viewers will be able to watch the entire broadcast live on ITV1, with the channel’s matchday coverage beginning at 7pm. Sign up now to our Make Football Great Again newsletter to get the latest World Cup news straight to your inbox.

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John Cross Chief Football Writer and Cameron Winstanley

00:07, June 11, 2026

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June 8, 2026 16:55