Iran's participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup (co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico) has been disrupted by US immigration policies, with the team's head coach publicly stating that Iran is the "most oppressed" side in the tournament. As one of four countries subject to a US travel ban, the Iranian squad has faced visa complications and logistical difficulties, including being redirected to a base camp in Mexico. Meanwhile, Iran's opening 2-2 draw against New Zealand in Los Angeles sparked a wave of online misinformation, including an AI-generated image falsely depicting an Iranian player carrying a pink backpack as a tribute to schoolgirls killed in the city of Minab during recent US-Iran hostilities, as well as misleading claims about a goal-celebration gesture by forward Mohamed Mohebi, who said the hand signal carried no political meaning.