Overview
- FIFA, which confirmed Friday three opening ceremonies across Mexico City, Toronto and Los Angeles, named artists including Katy Perry, Anitta, Michael Bublé and J Balvin.
- Iran’s football federation said Saturday it will play in 2026 but listed ten conditions that cover visas, respect for its flag and anthem, and added security from airports to hotels.
- U.S. officials said Iranian players are welcome but warned they may deny entry to delegation members with ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, leaving access in question for some staff.
- President Donald Trump criticized four-figure ticket prices and said he would not pay the more than $1,000 listed for seats at Los Angeles’s SoFi Stadium, putting fan costs in the political spotlight.
- Hotels in U.S. host cities report bookings below early projections even as Bank of America pegs FIFA’s cycle revenue near $11 billion and FIFA/WTO model as much as $40.9 billion in global GDP gains.