Verbatim sentences from the source article.
Citizen Digital
… This is their fourth appearance at the tournament and, with Group G fixtures still to come against Iran and New Zealand, they will hope to break that hoodoo in North America. …
'All the way': Egypt dare to dream after gritty Belgium drawCitizen Digital
… "They delayed our arrivals, (now) they are forcing us to go back early without time for recovery," Ghalenoei told journalists following a 2-2 draw with New Zealand. …
Iran 'most oppressed team in whole World Cup' - coachThe Standard
… With the draw, seven-time Africa Cup of Nations champions Egypt's wait for a first victory at a World Cup goes on.This is their fourth participation in the global showpiece and with Group G fixtures to come against Iran and New Zealand, they will hope to break that hoodoo in Nort …
Belgium fight back to draw with Egypt in World Cup group gameThe Standard
Audio By VocalizeIran twice battled back for a 2-2 draw with New Zealand on Monday in their frenetic opening match of a World Cup campaign that has been utterly overshadowed by war, politics and protests. …
Iran begin fraught World Cup with 2-2 New Zealand drawThe Standard
… Winger Mehdi Torabi was only issued a single-entry visa instead of the multiple-entry visa given to other Iranian national team players to take part in the global spectacle, where Team Melli earned a 2-2 draw with New Zealand in their opening match on Monday. …
Iran says footballer's US visa expires after World Cup openerCitizen Digital
… They play their opener against New Zealand in Los Angeles on Monday, marking the first time that a World Cup host has hosted a country with which it is at war. …
Iran World Cup coach says 'impacted' by politics but ignoring 'hype'The Standard
… In other games on Monday, Saudi Arabia face Uruguay in Group H in Miami, while Belgium face Mohamed Salah's Egypt in a Group G game in Seattle. - Iran protests planned -In Los Angeles all eyes will turn to Iran's opening game of the tournament, where they take on New Zealand in G …
Spain held by tiny Cape Verde at World Cup as Iran make bowThe Standard
… Subscribe to our newsletterIran take on New Zealand in the city on Monday, marking the first time that a World Cup host has hosted a country it is at war with.But the Iran team has had to leave many of its support team in Tijuana after the US refused to grant visas to 15 administ …
Tiny Curacao tackle Germany at World Cup as Iran arrive in USCitizen Digital
… They face New Zealand in Los Angeles in their first game on Monday. Portuguese legend Cristiano Ronaldo said on Friday that he was feeling "very positive" before flying out of Lisbon with his team to their base camp in Palm Beach, Florida. …
USA play first World Cup finals game on home soil since 1994Citizen Digital
… Iran is scheduled to play its first match on Monday in Los Angeles against New Zealand. …
Iran's World Cup players take to the training pitchEgypt drew 1–1 with Belgium in their opening World Cup match on Monday, with the performance renewing belief that a near-century wait for a World Cup breakthrough may be within reach.
16 June 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Egypt drew 1–1 with Belgium in their opening World Cup match on Monday, with the performance renewing belief that a near-century wait for a World Cup breakthrough may be within reach.
16 June 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Coach Amir Ghalenoei said Iran is the "most oppressed team in the World Cup" after players were ordered to return to Mexico immediately following their opening match in Los Angeles. The squad has faced visa delays for support staff, last-minute travel documents for players, and a forced relocation of its training camp from Arizona to Mexico due to logistical issues amid tensions between Iran and the United States.
16 June 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Belgium and Egypt drew 1-1 in their World Cup group match, with Emam Ashour opening the scoring for Egypt before Romelu Lukaku forced an own goal to equalize. Egypt remains without a World Cup victory across four tournaments.
16 June 2026 · The Standard →
Iran twice came from behind to draw 2-2 with New Zealand in their World Cup opening match, with goals from Elijah Just for New Zealand offset by equalizers from Ramin Rezaeian and Mohammad Mohebi. The match took place amid military conflict between Iran and the United States, visa delays, visa refusals, and protests both against the team and in support of Iran.
16 June 2026 · The Standard →
Iranian national team winger Mehdi Torabi was issued only a single-entry US visa, which expired after Iran's 2-2 draw with New Zealand in their World Cup opening match. The Iranian Football Federation is seeking a new visa for Torabi to allow him to continue participating in upcoming matches.
16 June 2026 · The Standard →
Iran's coach Amir Ghalenoei said political tensions and visa issues have damaged preparations for the World Cup but insisted his players will not "pay attention to any of the hype." The team faces New Zealand in Los Angeles on Monday, marking the first time a World Cup host has hosted a country with which it is at war.
15 June 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Spain were held to a goalless draw by World Cup first-timers Cape Verde on Monday in their Group H opener, despite 74 percent possession and being regarded as strong pre-tournament favourites. Cape Verde, a volcanic archipelago of 525,000 people ranked as 2000-1 outsiders by betting websites, secured an improbable point in their inaugural World Cup match.
15 June 2026 · The Standard →
Curaçao, a Caribbean island of 160,000 people and the smallest nation by population in the tournament, makes its World Cup debut against four-time champion Germany on Sunday in Houston. Coach Dick Advocaat, the oldest in World Cup history at 78, believes the team can "steal some points" despite being underdogs.
14 June 2026 · The Standard →
The United States begins their World Cup campaign against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on Friday, June 12, 2026—their first finals game on home soil in 32 years. US head coach Mauricio Pochettino says success means winning the World Cup, not merely progressing from Group D.
12 June 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Iran's footballers held a public training session in Tijuana on Thursday ahead of the World Cup, their first glimpse to journalists since arriving for the tournament. The squad moved their camp to Tijuana from Arizona, and only a dozen of 26 players were visible during the fifteen-minute session, with striker Mehdi Taremi absent.
12 June 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Haiti qualified for the World Cup for the first time since 1974 and will face Scotland in Boston on Saturday. Ranked 83rd globally and grouped with Brazil and Morocco, the team hopes to make an impact and bring pride to their country amid ongoing challenges.
11 June 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Iran's Sports Minister Ahmad Donyamali said the team will stop matches if unauthorised flags are displayed or slogans against the national team are chanted at World Cup stadiums. Iran opens their Group G campaign against New Zealand on June 15 in Los Angeles.
10 June 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Kenya Sevens have remained outside the top level of the HSBC SVNS Series after failing to secure promotion during a three-leg World Championship campaign in Hong Kong, Valladolid, and Bordeaux. The team's performance declined as the series progressed, and the outcome raises questions about whether coaching changes may be needed, though head coach Kelvin Wambua is credited with rebuilding the squad after relegation in 2023.
9 June 2026 · The Standard →
Kenya failed to secure promotion to the top tier of the World Rugby Sevens Series after finishing 11th in the final leg of the SVNS World Championship in Bordeaux on Sunday, needing ninth place to qualify. USA leapfrogged Kenya to claim the final Division One spot after defeating Fiji in the fifth-place playoff, leaving Kenya relegated to Division Two for the 2026-2027 season.
8 June 2026 · The Standard →
Iran's World Cup squad departed Turkey for Mexico on Saturday ahead of the 2026 tournament co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada, after the US refused to issue visas for some team support staff, triggering a diplomatic row between Tehran and Washington.
7 June 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Brazil defeated Egypt 2-1 in a pre-World Cup friendly in Cleveland on Saturday, with goals from Endrick and Bruno Guimaraes. The victory capped Brazil's preparations ahead of their World Cup Group C opener against Morocco on June 13.
7 June 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Portugal beat Chile 2–1 in Oeiras while Belgium defeated Tunisia 5–0 in Brussels in international friendly matches on Saturday. Both matches featured red cards, including offences against Portugal's Rafael Leao and Ivan Roman following a mass scuffle.
7 June 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Kenya's rugby sevens team Shujaa faces an uncertain path to 2026-2027 SVNS Division One promotion after losing all three pool matches at the Bordeaux Sevens in France. They need to finish ninth in Bordeaux to reach 18 points, but their hopes also depend on Great Britain and the United States failing to reach the tournament semi-finals.
7 June 2026 · The Standard →
England head coach Thomas Tuchel said the team will not use scorching heat and vast travel distances between venues as excuses, ahead of a pre-tournament friendly against New Zealand in Tampa Bay, Florida.
6 June 2026 · Citizen Digital →
The US has confirmed that Iran's national football team has been granted visas to enter the United States for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which is being co-hosted by the US despite ongoing regional tensions between the two countries.
6 June 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Zamalek's Hossam Abdelmaguid, 25, said his childhood dream of playing at the World Cup has come sooner than expected, as Egypt targets a deep run in North America. The defender aims to help Egypt achieve more than winning a World Cup match for the first time, and said the team will not be burdened by fan expectations despite being in Group G with Belgium, New Zealand, and Iran.
5 June 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Iran's national football team handed their passports to the US embassy in Turkey for visa applications ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, according to Iran's Football Federation head Mehdi Taj, following FIFA's instructions. The team's participation remains uncertain as Iran and the US negotiate to end a Middle East war that began in February.
5 June 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Kenya Sevens (Shujaa) compete in the final leg of the World Championship in Bordeaux this weekend, needing to finish in the top eight overall to secure promotion back to the HSBC SVNS Division One. The team sits eighth with 14 points and faces South Africa, Fiji, and Great Britain in their group.
5 June 2026 · The Standard →
China has imposed a travel ban on four New Zealand MPs who visited Taiwan in May as part of a cross-party delegation. Foreign Minister Winston Peters said he was "surprised" by the move and has asked New Zealand diplomats to raise the issue with Chinese officials.
4 June 2026 · Citizen Digital →
President William Ruto formally received Letters of Credence from four newly appointed diplomats, including South Africa's High Commissioner Salome Zulu-Mmola, Guatemala's Ambassador Luis Fernando Carranza Cifuentes, Kuwait's Ambassador Anas Talib Ali Marafi, and New Zealand's High Commissioner Olivia Charlotte Owen. South Africa's envoy conveyed an invitation from President Cyril Ramaphosa for Ruto to visit South Africa and highlighted growing bilateral ties in trade and investment.
3 June 2026 · Capital News →
New Zealand footballer Tim Payne's online fan club surged past four million followers after Argentine influencer Valen Scarsini called on his fans to boost the "least known" player at the World Cup; Payne had only 4,000 Instagram followers a week earlier.
2 June 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Kenya Sevens will compete in Group A at the Bordeaux Sevens alongside South Africa, Fiji, and Great Britain this weekend, the final leg of the HSBC SVNS Championship. Shujaa currently sits eighth overall with 14 points and need a quarterfinal finish to secure promotion to next season's elite division.
1 June 2026 · The Standard →
The Philippines defence secretary said the country remains under "severe threat" from China despite a recent thaw in U.S.-China tensions following a Trump-Xi summit, stating that smaller nations like the Philippines have no choice but to resist Chinese aggression.
31 May 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Global betting revenue for the 2026 World Cup is likely to exceed $50 billion, significantly higher than the 2022 edition, partly because the tournament has been enlarged to 48 teams from 32 and punters are increasingly interested in individual players.
29 May 2026 · Citizen Digital →
An opinion piece argues that smoke-free alternatives such as vapes and nicotine pouches should be promoted as a path to a tobacco-free world, citing evidence that these products expose users to fewer toxic substances than cigarette smoke and that countries like Sweden have achieved success by making safer alternatives accessible.
29 May 2026 · Citizen Digital →