Amid travel bans, ICE fears and political turmoil, wary fans try to find World Cup joy

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In many ways, the most ambitious World Cup in history — which kicked off Thursday in Mexico City — has inspired more angst than anticipation, more fear than fervor.The competition, returning to North America for the first time in more than three decades, has expanded to 48 teams and 104 matches, to be played over 39 days in 16 cities in the U.S., Mexico and Canada.The complex planning was eight years in the making.Yet even before the competition opened with Mexico facing South Africa at the iconic Estadio Azteca, it has been marred by a number of controversies that threaten to overshadow the soccer and cloud the tournament’s legacy.“I view this World Cup as the most politically combustible World Cup in recent history.

And that’s saying something,” said Jules Boykoff, a political science professor at the University of Portland and author of eight books on the politics of international sport.Soccer Everything you need to know to watch and follow the 2026 FIFA World Cup, including start times and TV and streaming information for every game.“We’re in uncharted territory in many ways.”Relations between the host countries, once strong, have been strained by the Trump administration’s tariff policies and disagreements over border security.

Travel bans have barred potential World Cup visitors — and even support staff and match officials — from entering the U.S.and others are fearful of making the trip, worried about ICE raids and immigration roundups.The U.S.

is at war with a tournament qualifier, Iran.And Iran has fired missiles and drones on Jordan, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, nations that also are World Cup participants.The International Sports Press Assn.

said Iranian and African journalists have been denied visas to cover games in the U.S., and Iran protested after more than a dozen members of its support staff had their requests to enter the U.S.rejected...