World Cup 2026: Iran face New Zealand after months of uncertainty

After months of uncertainty, and doubts over whether they would participate in the World Cup, Iran get under way against New Zealand in Los Angeles. The team has faced visa problems and had to relocate their base camp to Mexico.

The BBC’s Mani Djazmi discusses the issues around the team and their participation with Shahin Rahmani, a former football journalist and editor in Iran, who for the last 20 years has attended several World Cups as a FIFA security officer and is regularly consulted by the Iranian football federation.

Actor and comedian Maz Jobrani also tells Mani how the Iranian-American community in LA feels about the national team.

More than the Score brings you more than the men’s football World Cup - the new teams, standout stars, trends and fandoms shaping the tournament in ways the stats don’t show. With 48 teams competing across Mexico, the US and Canada, BBC World Service promises to take you deeper - from the group stages to the final. Search for More than the Score wherever you get your BBC podcasts.