The NSNO Everton Forums

Audrey Horne wrote: ↑Tue Jun 09, 2026 2:04 pm is this all true? Its insane.

As much as we are all excited for the World Cup there is a real dark side to this one that just leaves a bad taste in the mouth and completely goes against everything the tournament has always meant to the world
There was always a concern that the USA were going to ruin it for everyone - and those fears are becoming a reality quite quickly
Africa’s top referee Omar Artan detained and deported at the airport, despite having a working visa, purely because he comes from a country the American’s dear leader doesn’t like in Somalia. Nothing less than pure discrimination and racism, that wouldn’t be accepted anywhere else
The Senegal squad strip searched and treated like criminals on the runway after their plane landed, held on the runway for hours as all their bags were emptied and forced to take off their shoes and socks to be searched
Iraq’s star striker held for SEVEN hours by immigration enforcement, with his phone confiscated, thrown in a cell and questioned repeatedly about what he thinks of his government and the US government, with the insistence on him saying nice things about Trump before finally being allowed to join the rest of the squad
Iraq’s official camera man, hired to document their historic World Cup campaign, detained for 12 hours before being deported and denied entry to the US for no other reason that immigration enforcement officers deciding he wasn’t an important part of the travelling squad
Iran forced to stay in Mexico, despite their 3 group games being in the US, and told they have to travel in and out on the day of the game and wouldn’t be permitted to train or stay overnight in the US
Iran's official ticket allocation ​cancelled at last minute - leaving supporters who ​had ⁠already made ⁠travel plans unable to attend ‌their team's matches
Uzbekistan players and coaching staff held, searched and their bags searched by sniffer dogs after getting off their team bus
Fans from all countries having their visas or estas cancelled if any posts critical of Donald Trump are found on their social media accounts
A mass shooting took place just a stones throw from England’s training camp - heightening fears of potential gun crime at or around the games
Extortionate pricing on everything from tickets, accommodation, transport, beer, food and water
Ridiculous walking bans at or near stadiums so it’s literally against the law to walk to some games (something that has always been a tradition for fans and created some great scenes)
Some of the pitches in recent friendlies held in America would get a junior game cancelled and make Livi’s pitch look world class
And it’s not even started yet….
The World Cup has always been about the world coming together, nations have literally halted wars in the past during the World Cup. Race, religion, political beliefs and national disputes put to one side for the world to enjoy its favourite obsession as one… but all of that now seems to be expendable in the name of keeping Trump happy
Just all quite sad to see really
Contrast that to a real footballing country like Mexico who have put on a big show of greeting all team arrivals with traditional music and the kind of fanfare the World Cup is known and loved for

Audrey Horne wrote: ↑Tue Jun 09, 2026 2:04 pm is this all true? Its insane.

As much as we are all excited for the World Cup there is a real dark side to this one that just leaves a bad taste in the mouth and completely goes against everything the tournament has always meant to the world
There was always a concern that the USA were going to ruin it for everyone - and those fears are becoming a reality quite quickly
Africa’s top referee Omar Artan detained and deported at the airport, despite having a working visa, purely because he comes from a country the American’s dear leader doesn’t like in Somalia. Nothing less than pure discrimination and racism, that wouldn’t be accepted anywhere else
The Senegal squad strip searched and treated like criminals on the runway after their plane landed, held on the runway for hours as all their bags were emptied and forced to take off their shoes and socks to be searched
Iraq’s star striker held for SEVEN hours by immigration enforcement, with his phone confiscated, thrown in a cell and questioned repeatedly about what he thinks of his government and the US government, with the insistence on him saying nice things about Trump before finally being allowed to join the rest of the squad
Iraq’s official camera man, hired to document their historic World Cup campaign, detained for 12 hours before being deported and denied entry to the US for no other reason that immigration enforcement officers deciding he wasn’t an important part of the travelling squad
Iran forced to stay in Mexico, despite their 3 group games being in the US, and told they have to travel in and out on the day of the game and wouldn’t be permitted to train or stay overnight in the US
Iran's official ticket allocation ​cancelled at last minute - leaving supporters who ​had ⁠already made ⁠travel plans unable to attend ‌their team's matches
Uzbekistan players and coaching staff held, searched and their bags searched by sniffer dogs after getting off their team bus
Fans from all countries having their visas or estas cancelled if any posts critical of Donald Trump are found on their social media accounts
A mass shooting took place just a stones throw from England’s training camp - heightening fears of potential gun crime at or around the games
Extortionate pricing on everything from tickets, accommodation, transport, beer, food and water
Ridiculous walking bans at or near stadiums so it’s literally against the law to walk to some games (something that has always been a tradition for fans and created some great scenes)
Some of the pitches in recent friendlies held in America would get a junior game cancelled and make Livi’s pitch look world class
And it’s not even started yet….
The World Cup has always been about the world coming together, nations have literally halted wars in the past during the World Cup. Race, religion, political beliefs and national disputes put to one side for the world to enjoy its favourite obsession as one… but all of that now seems to be expendable in the name of keeping Trump happy
Just all quite sad to see really
Contrast that to a real footballing country like Mexico who have put on a big show of greeting all team arrivals with traditional music and the kind of fanfare the World Cup is known and loved for

TheRam wrote: ↑Tue Jun 09, 2026 2:54 pm I’d say this is mostly a load of rubbish tbh

The shooting was five miles from englands base, for example, and the friendlies have mostly been in stadiums that won’t be used.

The paragraph about the World Cup being a uniting force to bring everyone together setting aside political beliefs isn’t true either.

A lot of world cups have been held in authoritarian states in the past. Players have been killed for making mistakes, dictators have gone down to the pitch before games to fix matches, players have been threatened with death if they don’t perform.

The last two world cups have been held in states where being gay is illegal.

You can’t mention the issues in the states without mentioning the violence in Mexico which sees thousands of people disappear each year at the hands of the drug cartels.

It’s shite that it’s taking part in America in the current state it is in, but if people could stomach a World Cup in Qatar and Russia then they can stomach one in America.

See Argentina 78 for a World Cup overshadowed by an authoritarian regime

Once the football starts it will all mostly be forgotten about.

Escalator wrote: ↑Tue Jun 09, 2026 3:07 pm 75% of it verifiably truths.

Shogun wrote: ↑Tue Jun 09, 2026 3:02 pm I think the difference was that Qatar and Russia bent backwards to sportswash as hard as they could, whereas the USA doesn't give a shit how bad they look hence all the negative press.