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Rights groups have urged FIFA to ensure the 2026 World Cup upholds commitments to inclusivity and safety, warning that U.S. immigration policies and concerns over press freedom could undermine the tournament, Reuters reported. 

The Sport & Rights Alliance said the governing body had promised a "safe, welcoming and inclusive" competition under its Human Rights Framework but that rhetoric and immigration policies under U.S. President Donald Trump risked creating fear among fans, journalists and communities.

"Football brings the world together — but not if U.S. visa bans and mass deportation raids keep immigrants, workers, journalists, communities, and fans away," the coalition of rights groups wrote in a letter to FIFA President Gianni Infantino released on Thursday, according to Reuters. 

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday the Iran soccer team was welcome to participate in the 2026 World Cup but that he believed it was not appropriate that they be there "for their own life and safety".

Iran has qualified for the 48-team tournament to be held in the U.S., Canada and Mexico from June ​11 and are scheduled to play two group matches in Los Angeles and one in Seattle, Reuters reported. 

"The Iran ​national soccer team is welcome to the World Cup, but I really don’t believe it ⁠is appropriate that they be there, for their own life and safety," Trump said in a post on ​Truth Social

Dozens of U.S. lawmakers have called on FIFA to lower the cost of tickets for the 2026 World Cup, saying in a letter sent to the global soccer governing body this week that the use of dynamic pricing has ​turned the sporting event into an exclusionary enterprise at the expense of fans, Reuters reported. 

The letter, which was orchestrated ‌by Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove and signed by another 68 Members of Congress, was addressed to FIFA President Gianni Infantino and said American fans and international visitors for the June 11-July 19 World Cup should have access to affordable tickets.

"The extreme high demand for World Cup tickets should ​not be a green light for price gouging at the expense of the people who make the World ​Cup the most-watched sporting event in the world," the group said in the letter that was ⁠shared on Wednesday, according to Reuters. 

Arsenal's eight-game winning run in the Champions League came to an end as they needed an 89th-minute penalty from substitute Kai Havertz to rescue a 1-1 draw at Bayer ​Leverkusen in their last-16 first leg on Wednesday, Reuters reported. 

Former Leverkusen player Havertz converted the latespot kick to cancel out Robert Andrich's 46th-minute header for the hosts, marking the first time this season that quadruple-chasing Arsenal had fallen behind in Europe's elite competition.

The sides will meet again on Tuesday in London for the return leg ​and a spot in the quarter-finals, according to Reuters.