“The once-outlandish idea went from private meetings to the highest levels of government, from Chicago to Washington, D.C., from France to Tehran. It began as a speculative proposal for a soccer match — Iran vs. the United States. It became a logistical behemoth, drawing scrutiny from the U.S. State Department and Islamic hardliners alike. After weeks of worry, though, on Jan. 5, 2000, for the first (and, so far, only) time, the Iranian national soccer team boarded a plane bound for the United States. A few weeks from now, it will do so again. The Iranians will come for the 2026 World Cup despite geopolitical friction and travel bans. They’ll compete in the shadow of war. Their participation — and the scene at SoFi Stadium in Southern California, site of their first two games — will feel unprecedented, perhaps surreal. …”
NYT/ATH (Video)