United News of Bangladesh

The head of the Palestinian Football Association has said he was not granted a US visa to travel for World Cup-related events, as questions continue over entry permissions for several accredited football officials. Jibril Rajoub, who is currently in Mexico City, said he is awaiting clearance to enter the United States along with other federation representatives attending the 2026 FIFA World Cup. He attended the opening match between Mexico and South Africa on Thursday. He is among several accredited individuals who have either been denied US visas or are still waiting for approval, according to reports. “I don’t believe that it’s fair to use or to abuse and deny the right of all footballers all over the world to attend,” Rajoub said in an interview with The Associated Press. Although Palestine did not qualify for the tournament, FIFA traditionally invites heads of national football associations worldwide to the World Cup, describing it as a global celebration of unity. FIFA President Gianni Infantino said last year that “everyone will be welcome in Canada, Mexico and the United States for the FIFA World Cup next year,” adding that efforts were underway to ensure smooth access. However, the United States has reportedly denied entry to delegates from several countries, including a Somali referee and a photographer accompanying Iraq’s team. Infantino said this week FIFA was trying to resolve visa issues but acknowledged it could not override government decisions. “We need to respect that we are not the kings of the world who can rule over governments and police forces,” he told reporters. The US State Department did not immediately comment on Rajoub’s visa case. Last year, Washington introduced new restrictions affecting Palestinian passport holders, including individuals previously employed by the Palestinian Authority, and also revoked a visa allowing Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to attend the UN General Assembly. Rajoub and other Palestinian football officials have long accused Israel of allowing settlement-based teams in the occupied West Bank to compete in its national league, calling for FIFA sanctions. They have also raised concerns over restrictions on Palestinian players’ movement and said the war in Gaza has severely damaged sports infrastructure and killed at least 565 players, according to the association. Last month, Rajoub declined to shake hands with the head of Israel’s football federation at FIFA President Infantino’s request, saying such gestures would not heal the conflict but would “whitewash” Israel’s actions. He also pointed to the 2018 Russia World Cup, arguing that Russia did not impose similar visa restrictions on invited participants.

Bangladeshi streaming platform Toffee has come under fire as it failed to provide smooth and uninterrupted coverage of the opening match of the FIFA World Cup for hundreds of football fans. Many have reportedly lodged complaints with the Directorate of National Consumers' Right Protection against the platform. While millions of fans around the world celebrated the tournament's kickoff, many viewers in Bangladesh experienced severe technical difficulties while trying to watch the match through Toffee, a freemium video streaming and digital entertainment platform owned by Banglalink Digital Communications Ltd. Subscribers alleged that they faced lengthy delays throughout the registration process. Many users reported waiting nearly 40 minutes to receive one-time passwords (OTP) required for account verification, followed by an additional 30-minute delay in obtaining payment links. Even after completing the subscription process, viewers said the livestreaming frequently froze, with videos stopping every few seconds and repeatedly displaying loading screens. The disruptions affected a large number of users during Thursday night's opening match, prompting widespread criticism on social media. Frustrated subscribers complained that despite paying for access, they were unable to watch the game properly. Industry observers noted that companies involved in World Cup broadcasting had invested heavily in acquiring broadcasting rights and launched extensive promotional campaigns to attract subscribers ahead of the tournament. However, many consumers questioned whether sufficient investments had been made in technical infrastructure to handle the anticipated surge in viewership. "Not everything should be allowed to pass without accountability. Although Tk 99 may seem like a small amount for one subscriber, I believe they have collected more than Tk 200 crore from subscribers. Everyone should file complaints," said Anisur Rahman, a Toffee user. Md Joy Hasan Nil, another Toffee subscriber, said he had filed a complaint against the platform, alleging that users had faced a similar experience during the 2022 World Cup. He said many subscribers were students who had spent their hard-earned money to purchase access to the service. Calling on other affected users to come forward, he said he had shared instructions on how to file complaints with the authorities. “If consumers do not raise their voices, the company will never improve. They will continue to benefit while ordinary customers suffer,” Nil said, urging all subscribers who purchased access to lodge formal complaints, as many of the tournament’s high-profile matches are yet to be played. Critics argued that the World Cup schedule had been known years in advance, providing ample time for service providers to prepare their platforms for increased traffic. They said the inability to deliver uninterrupted service after collecting subscription fees amounted to a failure to meet commitments made to customers. As the platform holds exclusive digital streaming rights in the country, viewers have limited alternatives, making questions of accountability and consumer protection even more significant. In a statement posted on its Facebook page, Toffee attributed the disruption to issues related to the digital broadcast feed. “Due to complications with the digital broadcast feed, interruptions are occurring in the livestreaming of the World Cup. We are working tirelessly with Bangladesh Television (BTV), the broadcast rights holder, to resolve the issue as quickly as possible. We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience and will provide further updates soon,” the platform said. Launched in November 2019, Toffee operates as both a live TV and sports streaming application as well as a content creator platform across mobile devices and smart TVs in Bangladesh. Football fans have expressed hope that streaming platforms will ensure uninterrupted coverage of upcoming matches. Many also believe that if such failures continue, affected subscribers should receive appropriate compensation or refunds for services they were unable to use.

The head of the Palestinian Football Association says he is still waiting for approval to enter the United States after being denied a visa to attend the 2026 FIFA World Cup, despite receiving official accreditation for the tournament. Jibril Rajoub traveled to Mexico City and attended Thursday’s opening match between Mexico and South Africa. However, he remains unable to enter the US, one of the three host countries of the World Cup. Rajoub is among several accredited football officials and delegates who have either been denied US visas or are still waiting for them. Speaking to The Associated Press, Rajoub said it was unfair to prevent football representatives from attending one of the sport’s biggest global events. Although the Palestinian national team failed to qualify for the World Cup, governing body FIFA traditionally invites the heads of football associations from around the world to attend the tournament as part of its efforts to promote international unity through football. Last year, FIFA President Gianni Infantino said all visitors would be welcomed by the three host nations: Canada, Mexico and the United States. However, the US has reportedly refused entry to delegates from several countries. Among them are a referee from Somalia and a photographer traveling with Iraq’s national team. Infantino said this week that FIFA has been working to address visa-related problems but acknowledged that the organization cannot override decisions made by governments. The US State Department did not immediately comment on Rajoub’s case. Last year, Washington introduced additional restrictions on Palestinian passport holders, including some people linked to the Palestinian Authority. It also revoked a visa that would have allowed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to attend the United Nations General Assembly in September. Rajoub has long accused Israel of violating FIFA rules by allowing teams from settlements in the occupied West Bank to compete in its national league. Palestinian football officials have repeatedly urged FIFA to take action against Israel and have also criticized restrictions on Palestinian players and the destruction of sports facilities in the Gaza Strip during the ongoing conflict. Last month, Rajoub declined to shake hands with the head of Israel’s football federation during a FIFA event, saying such a gesture would not address the suffering caused by the conflict. He also noted that when Russia hosted the 2018 World Cup, invited guests and participants did not face similar visa restrictions.

Hwang In-beom scored a goal and set up another as South Korea rallied to defeat the Czech Republic 2-1 in the second match of the 2026 World Cup on Thursday night. After a lackluster first half in which both teams were jeered as they left the field, the Czech Republic took the lead in the 59th minute on a header by captain Ladislav Krejci after a long throw-in into the penalty area. South Korea equalized in the 67th, when Hwang scored after faking a shot with a nifty move to clear two Czech players. He then made the cross from the right flank for Oh Hyeon-gyu's decisive strike in the 80th in a match played in front of hundreds of empty seats at Guadalajara Stadium. Let by star forward Son Heung-min, South Korea controlled possession and outshot the Czechs, who were making their first World Cup appearance since 2006. The Koreans, ranked 25th by FIFA, had most of the significant scoring chances against the 38th-ranked Czechs but failed to capitalize early. The announced attendance was 44,985 at the 45,664-capacity Guadalajara Stadium. Sections in the middle of the stands had many unoccupied seats and there were other empty seats scattered across the stadium. In the other Group A match on Thursday, co-host Mexico defeated South Africa 2-0 in the tournament opener in Mexico City.

The opening match of the World Cup delivered a rarity in international soccer: three players sent off with red cards. No World Cup match has had that many players ejected since a 2006 game between Portugal and the Netherlands, when four players received red cards — a World Cup record. The last World Cup in Qatar in 2022 had only four red cards in the entire tournament. On Thursday at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City, Sphephelo Sithole and Themba Zwane were sent off for South Africa while César Montes was shown a red card for the tournament co-host. It’s the first time three players have been sent off in the opening match of a World Cup – and all three were straight red cards, meaning none of the ejected players were given two yellows. Mexico won the match 2-0. Sithole was red-carded after taking down Mexico’s Brian Gutierrez on the edge of the box at the start of the second half. Things got worse for South Africa when Zwane was sent off following a video review for striking Roberto Alvarado in the face in the 84th minute. Finally, in stoppage time, Montes saw red for bringing down Khuliso Mudau. The red cards mean the three players will be suspended for at least one more match. South Africa’s next match is against the Czech Republic and Mexico next faces South Korea in Guadalajara. The match between Portugal and the Netherlands at the 2006 World Cup in Germany stands out with its four red cards – two for each team. That game in Nuremberg also had 16 yellow cards.

Colombia has started its World Cup preparations in Mexico ahead of its games against Uzbekistan and Congo in Group K. The team arrived in Guadalajara on Wednesday and had its first training session in the host city on Thursday. The session was open to the media and some local residents. Colombia, ranked 14th by FIFA, started its World Cup preparations on home soil and then trained in California before making it to camp in Guadalajara. Colombia plays Uzbekistan next Wednesday in Mexico City. Its second match will be against Congo on June 23 in Guadalajara. Its third game, against Portugal, will be held on June 27 in Miami. Both Guadalajara and Mexico City will present challenges to players because of the altitude. Colombia had its best World Cup result in 2014 in Brazil, when it reached the quarterfinals. It was eliminated in the round of 16 in 2018 in Russia. Colombia did not qualify for the tournament in Qatar in 2022.  

Mexico made an immediate impression on the largest World Cup in history, giving the roaring home crowd at the iconic Azteca Stadium a huge jolt of excitement four years after a major disappointment. Mexico’s players understood the intense pressure and high expectations they were facing on Thursday in the opening match of the first 48-team World Cup tournament. But they embraced their role and got off to a winning start by beating South Africa 2-0 in a match that also produced three red cards. “I made an effort to explain to them what a World Cup and an opening match on home soil meant, but they are young and had to experience it for themselves,” said Mexico coach Javier Aguirre, who played for his team the last time Mexico hosted the tournament in 1986. “I can no longer talk about having played in a home World Cup, because they already know what it’s like.” Julián Quiñones and Raúl Jiménez scored the goals for Mexico, which is co-hosting the 2026 tournament with Canada and the United States. The Mexicans rebounded from the massive disappointment of being eliminated after the group stage four years ago in Qatar. That followed seven straight trips to the round the 16 — an achievement that became more of a curse for failing to reach the quarterfinals. But there is hope this year. Mexico has reached the quarterfinals twice in its history, and both times it was the host country — in 1970 and 1986. Aguirre was on that team in 1986.  

The biggest FIFA World Cup in history got underway on Thursday as co-host Mexico faced South Africa in the tournament’s opening match at the iconic Mexico City Stadium, formerly known as Azteca Stadium. Despite ongoing protests and social tensions in the Mexican capital, more than 80,000 spectators attended the match at the renovated venue, which has been upgraded for the 48-team World Cup jointly hosted by Mexico, the United States and Canada. The stadium made history by becoming the first venue to stage three World Cup opening matches, having previously hosted the tournament curtain-raisers in 1970 and 1986. The match marked Mexico’s eighth appearance in a World Cup opener. The Mexicans had lost five of their previous opening matches and drawn the last two, including a 1-1 draw against South Africa at the 2010 World Cup. South Africa, meanwhile, returned to the World Cup stage for the first time since hosting the tournament in 2010. Bafana Bafana had also qualified for the 1998 and 2002 editions. Mexico entered the tournament in strong form, carrying an eight-match unbeaten run and having not suffered a defeat since a friendly loss to Paraguay last November. The team is coached by veteran manager Javier Aguirre, 67, who is serving his third spell in charge of the Mexican national side.

The FIFA World Cup kicks off tonight, and although Bangladesh is not among the participating nations, excitement surrounding football’s biggest event has reached fever pitch as always across the country of 170 million people. From bustling cities to remote neighborhoods, conversations revolve around one question: will Brazil, Argentina, France or Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal lift the trophy? Supporters are celebrating the tournament with jerseys, flags, rallies, social media campaigns and countless debates over their favorite teams. Every World Cup transforms the atmosphere in Bangladesh. Rooftops are adorned with colorful flags, tea stalls become venues for passionate arguments, and social media platforms turn into battlegrounds of emotions and football analysis. Four years of anticipation culminate in a few weeks during which millions of Bangladeshis become emotionally invested in the fortunes of teams thousands of miles away. Although Bangladesh has never qualified for the World Cup, football enthusiasts here consider themselves among the tournament's most passionate followers. Farmers, teachers, artists, journalists and professionals from all walks of life rally behind their chosen teams. The passion extends to national sports stars and celebrities as well. When a football rolls on a World Cup pitch somewhere across the globe, its impact resonates in homes throughout Bangladesh. For some, it is the blue-and-white colors of Argentina that stir emotions; for others, it is the magic of Brazil's yellow jersey. Yet the shared sentiment remains the same: the World Cup represents much more than football—it is an emotion. Alongside street processions, giant flags and wall paintings, social media platforms have become major venues for World Cup discussions. Supporters are posting messages supporting their favorite teams and players, sharing predictions and engaging in friendly banter with rival fans. Many are using artificial intelligence tools to create images featuring national flags, football-themed artwork and pictures of public figures wearing their preferred teams’ jerseys. Supporters of Brazil, Argentina, France, Portugal and other nations are engaged in friendly online rivalries, recalling past triumphs while dreaming of future glory. Jersey sales soar The World Cup has also sparked a boom in the sale of football merchandise across Bangladesh. Sports shops, shopping malls, street vendors and online retailers are witnessing increased demand for jerseys, flags, caps, whistles and football accessories. Various Facebook pages and online stores are selling jerseys priced between Tk 400 and Tk 1,000. Popular e-commerce platforms Daraz and Othoba are also reporting strong sales, with jerseys available for between Tk 220 and Tk 1,500 depending on the model and quality. At the capital's Gulistan area and the country's largest sports goods market, Samabaya Twin Tower Market, football jerseys are selling briskly. According to traders, Brazil and Argentina jerseys remain the most popular among customers. Street vendors are selling jerseys at prices ranging from Tk 150 to Tk 1,000, while flags of various sizes are also attracting buyers. Three-foot flags are selling for around Tk 100, five-foot flags for Tk 150-200, and ten-foot flags for Tk 350-600. The scene in some areas resembles a city divided between Brazil and Argentina supporters. Sports merchandise stores at shopping centers including Bashundhara City and Jamuna Future Park are also experiencing strong business. Kalam, a sports goods seller in the Bashundhara City area, said football fans have been crowding stores from morning until closing time. "Compared to normal periods, jersey sales have increased significantly. Depending on whether they are fan edition, player edition or Thai edition jerseys, prices range from around Tk 1,000 to Tk 1,500," he said. Every World Cup revives a familiar question among Bangladeshi football fans: when will Bangladesh qualify for the tournament? While football analysts often find the answer straightforward, ordinary supporters remain hopeful. The tournament has expanded from 32 to 48 teams for the 2026 edition. The number of teams, matches, venues and host nations has increased significantly, but Bangladesh remains outside the World Cup picture. Despite not participating, many football observers argue that Bangladesh maintains a unique presence at the World Cup.

Morocco have been forced to make two changes to their World Cup squad after winger Abde Ezzalzouli and defender Nayef Aguerd were ruled out through injuries ahead of the team's opening match against Brazil. FIFA confirmed late Wednesday that Ezzalzouli and Aguerd had withdrawn from the tournament squad. Ezzalzouli, formerly of Barcelona and currently with Real Betis, played a key role in helping the Spanish club secure qualification for next season’s UEFA Champions League. He had also been viewed as one of Morocco’s potential standout performers at the World Cup. Aguerd, who plays for French club Marseille, was an important member of Morocco’s squad that reached the semifinals of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, becoming the first African nation to achieve the feat. Morocco have called up Amine Sbaï of French side Angers and Marwane Saadane of Saudi club Al Fateh as replacements. The North African side will begin their World Cup campaign against Brazil on Saturday at MetLife Stadium near New York. They will then face Scotland on June 19 near Boston before concluding their Group C fixtures against Haiti on June 24 in Atlanta. Ezzalzouli sustained a right knee injury during a warm-up match against Norway last weekend. Initial medical assessments had suggested he might remain in the squad and potentially feature in the knockout stages, but the injury ultimately forced his withdrawal.