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Here’s how to watch Knicks vs. Spurs NBA Finals Game 5 for free


Knicks in five.

That’s the motto across New York City as ecstatic fans are putting out winning energy in support of the hometown team, who have a 3-1 lead over the Spurs ahead of tonight’s NBA Finals game.

NBA Finals: what to know

  • What: New York Knicks vs. San Antonio Spurs, Game 5
  • When: June 13, 2026, at 8:30 p.m. ET
  • Where: Frost Bank Center (San Antonio, Texas)
  • Channel: ABC
  • Streaming: DIRECTV (try it free)

As a matter of fact, Method Man uttered those very words after the Wu-Tang Clan performed to a star-studded crowd during halftime of Game 4. Celebs included Taylor Swift, Ben Stiller, Adam Sandler, Hailey Bieber, Larry David, and Jalen Brunson’s “No. 1” — Mariska Hargitay.

While the Saturday night Game 5 action is set to be back in San Antonio, you can watch it from anywhere with DIRECTV.

When is the fifth Knicks vs. Spurs game in the NBA Finals?

Game 5 of the NBA Finals is tonight, Saturday, June 13, 2026, starting at 8:30 p.m. ET, with the New York Knicks vs. the San Antonio Spurs.

How to watch Knicks vs. Spurs for free:

If you don’t have cable, you’ll need a live TV streaming service to catch all the action.

DIRECTV is our top pick for watching the NBA live for free — its five-day free trial includes ABC (plus every other channel you’ll need for the rest of the highly anticipated finals). When the trial is over, you’ll pay as low as $44.99/month and get access to over 90 live channels.

Another option? Sling’s TV Select Pass, which starts at $19.99/month and includes ESPN and ABC.


Adam Sandler and Chris Rock laughing on celebrity row at the 2026 NBA Finals.
No laughing matter — Adam Sandler and Chris Rock attend Game 4 at Madison Square Garden. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post

What is the Knicks vs. Spurs NBA Finals schedule?

The Knicks vs. Spurs playoff schedule is as follows:

  • Game 5: Saturday, June 13, 2026, at 8:30 p.m. ET (in San Antonio)
  • Game 6 (if necessary): Tuesday, June 16, 2026 at 8:30 p.m. ET (in New York City)
  • Game 7 (if necessary): Friday, June 19, 2026, at 8:30 p.m. ET (in San Antonio)



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USMNT World Cup win over Paraguay was historic ratings boom


U-S-A! U-S-A! U-S-A!

The United States men’s national team stole headlines with a 4-1 win over Paraguay in its World Cup opener Friday, but the game’s viewership numbers were perhaps even more impressive.

Friday night’s U.S.-Paraguay contest was the most-watched USMNT telecast ever and the most-viewed FIFA Men’s World Cup Group Stage telecast in English-language US history, with 15,986,000 viewers tuning in, Fox Sports said Saturday.

Viewership was up 106 percent from the first USMNT Group Stage telecast on Fox in 2022, where 7,763,000 people tuned into a 1-1 draw against Wales.

The game’s peak audience was from 10:45 p.m. to 11 p.m. ET, when 18,860,000 people watched.

But even with Friday night’s historically high viewership numbers, it wasn’t the only game that drew an astounding number of viewers.

Thursday’s tilt between Mexico and South Africa, where Mexico won 2-0, was the most-watched English-language U.S. telecast of a men’s World Cup opener ever.

Per a combination of Nielsen ratings and internal data, 6.3 million viewers tuned into the match across Fox, Fox One and Tubi.

Viewership for the Mexico-South Africa clash was also up 97 percent from the average non-USMNT Group Stage telecast average on Fox in 2022, with audience peaking around 4:15 to 4:30 p.m. with just over 8 million viewers.

The historic viewership numbers coincide with an alarming number of empty seats being available at World Cup games so far, largely due to fans’ concerns over ticket prices.


Soccer players celebrate while a goalkeeper kneels on the field.
Gio Reyna celebrates after scoring a game-sealing goal in the USMNT’s 4-1 win over Paraguay Friday. Christian Brunskill/UPI/Shutterstock

Thousands of seats were vacant in Mexico on Thursday night for the South Korea-Czech Republic match despite FIFA downplaying the issue.

Still, Friday night’s historic ratings boom for the USMNT was for good reason, as the team controlled the match from start to finish.

The USMNT jumped out to an early 1-0 lead after an own goal before Folarin Balogun added two goals to give it a 3-0 halftime advantage.


Christian Pulisic in a USA soccer jersey with number 10, smiling during a match.
Christian Pulisic of the UMSNT smiles during Friday night’s 4-1 win over Paraguay. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters

Despite Christian Pulisic leaving the game early, Gio Reyna tacked on the finishing touches with a late goal to seal the 4-1 win.

With the win under its belt, the USMNT has a week to prepare for its June 19 test against Australia.





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Cop probers wrote ‘ACAB (All Cops Are Bastards)’ on social media



New York City’s police watchdog is probing allegations by the NYPD’s biggest union that its investigators are anti-cop radicals, The Post has learned. 

The Police Benevolent Association  (PBA) in a May 7 letter demanded the firing of a Civilian Complaint Review Board supervisor and seven investigators, citing social media posts and college essays by the investigators the union called “blatant examples of anti-police bias.”

Some of the board’s employees posted “A.C.A.B.” — an anti-police acronym for “All Cops Are Bastards” on social media, and others wrote posts and essays about the elimination of police, the PBA found.

Jonathan Darche is in charge of the Civilian Complaint Review Board and said there was an internal review. CCRB

“The agency has begun an internal review of the PBA’s allegations,” CCRB Executive Director Jonathan Darche recently wrote to a group of city councilmembers demanding an investigation.

“The allegations concerning varying social media posts require careful review to determine the appropriate action, if any, to be taken with consideration, as well, of employee protections,” he added.

The CCRB initially responded to the PBA that its investigators review cases fairly and impartially. 

Investigator Lauryn Cimiluca wrote that she matched with cops on dating apps just to write ACAB (all cops are bastards.)
Lauryn Cimiluca/Facebook

It changed its tune after the eight councilmembers fired off a May 28 letter raising “serious questions about the fairness of CCRB investigations and the reliability of substantiated findings in which the employees played a role.”

CCRB investigative supervisor Stephen DiFiore, on social media, ripped the mayor’s decision to retain Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch in her post. Stephen DiFiore/X

Councilmembers Phil Wong, D-Queens, Kamillah Hanks, D-Staten Island, Vickie Paladino, R-Queens, Darlene Mealy, D-Brooklyn, David Carr, R-Staten Island, Inna Vernikov, R-Brooklyn, Joann Ariola, R-Queens and Frank Morano, R-Staten Island, also called for the employees to be placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the probe. 

CCRB investigators look into civilian reports of misconduct by NYPD officers. The cases, which are not criminal, can lead to internal charges and punishment.



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Tens of thousands join Pride marches in Romania, Bulgaria to call for equality


SOFIA, Bulgaria — Tens of thousands of LGBTQ+ supporters took to the streets of Romania and Bulgaria’s capitals on Saturday for their annual Pride parades, against a backdrop of rising opposition from conservative groups in the Orthodox Christian countries.

Marchers walked through Bucharest in Romania and Sofia in Bulgaria, waving colorful flags and blowing whistles and calling for equality.

Both Romania and Bulgaria joined the European Union in 2007. Ahead of accession to the bloc, both countries adopted human rights legislation to meet EU standards, despite public opinion polls often indicating a lack of support for the community compared with other EU countries.

In ILGA-Europe’s 2025 Rainbow Map, which assesses the legal and policy landscape for LGBTQ+ people across Europe, Romania and Bulgaria ranked last among all 27 EU countries.

“We still have a deeply conservative society, with very strong traditional values,” said Alina Purcaru, a writer who attended the Bucharest march. “We still live in a patriarchy, sometimes explicit … with a lot of prejudice and a lot of fear.”

Romania and Bulgaria do not recognize same-sex marriage or civil partnerships, despite the bloc prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation.

“That is why we are taking to the streets today … to demand the legalization of civil partnerships,” Vlad Viski, president of the nongovernmental organization MozaiQ, told The Associated Press.

“We are talking about essential rights, such as the right to inheritance, hospital visits, medical decisions, survivor’s pension,” he added.

Simeon Vassilev, one of the organizers of Sofia Pride, told journalists on Saturday that in Bulgaria, “thousands of same-sex couples live together, build homes, raise children, and care for one another … without the right to legal protection or recognition of their relationships.”

In recent years, hostility and hate speech against the LGBTQ+ communities in the two Eastern European countries have been on the rise, according to rights groups. On Saturday, anti-LGBTQ+ rallies were held in both capitals.

In Sofia, a “March of the Family” rally — set up by right-wing and religious groups in 2021 — celebrated “Christian, patriotic and traditional values” in its Saturday event. The conservative Orthodox Church, which unites some 80% of Bulgarians, expressed its “disagreement with the ideas and messages” and blessed the “traditional family.” In Bucharest, a “March for Normality” was also held by a nationalist group.

This year’s Pride event in Sofia was billed under a “Different Together” banner, with the organizers hoping to counter widespread rhetoric against the community.

Additionally, the “Progressive Bulgaria” party of Prime Minister Rumen Radev, which won an April general election, voiced support for the “March of the Family” in Parliament, saying that it’s “a cornerstone of our national security, identity and future.”

The Bulgarian Helsinki Committee criticized the statement for “placing one type of citizens as more valuable than others.”

___

McGrath reported from Leamington Spa, England.



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Vanessa Trump shares breast cancer update after boyfriend Tiger Woods’ release from rehab



Vanessa Trump shared an update on her breast cancer journey, one day after her boyfriend Tiger Woods was released from rehab.

“Over the past four weeks, I’ve been recovering from surgery, and I’m grateful to be healing and moving forward. Soon, I’ll be starting the second stage of my treatment,” the former model, 48, wrote on Instagram Saturday.

“Sending love, strength, and hope to everyone fighting this battle ❤️,” Trump concluded.

The mom of five did not disclose any further details on her surgery or the second stage of treatments.

Vanessa Trump shared an updated on her breast cancer journey (as pictured here). vanessa trump/ instagram
“Over the past four weeks, I’ve been recovering from surgery, and I’m grateful to be healing and moving forward. Soon, I’ll be starting the second stage of my treatment,” the model (pictured here in March) wrote on Instagram Saturday. TGL Golf via Getty Images

Trump revealed her diagnosis last month.

She shared the news in an Instagram post, explaining that she’s working closely with her medical team on a course of action.

Trump — who shares kids Kai, 19, Donald, 17, Tristan, 14, Spencer, 13, and Chloe, 11, with ex-husband Donald Trump Jr. — stated she previously underwent a procedure one week earlier.

“I am staying focused and hopeful while surrounded by the love and support of my family, my kids, and those closest to me,” she penned.

After thanking her followers for their support, Vanessa noted, “I kindly ask for privacy as I focus on my health and recovery.”

Vanessa (pictured here in March) ended her post with a message to those in similar situations: “Sending love, strength, and hope to everyone fighting this battle.” TGL Golf via Getty Images
The mom of five (pictured here in March) first announced her diagnosis in May, writing, “I am staying focused and hopeful while surrounded by the love and support of my family, my kids, and those closest to me.” TGL Golf via Getty Images

At the time, her former sister-in-law Ivanka Trump shared her support, writing on the post, “Praying for your continued strength and a swift recovery. Love you mama.”

Last month, Vanessa was seen celebrating Kai’s high school graduation with her ex, 48, whom she divorced in 2018, and his new wife Bettina Anderson.

President Trump’s daughter Tiffany, 32, and her husband, Michael Boulos, 28, were also in attendance.

The family enjoyed an intimate dinner at Blackbird restaurant in Naples, Florida.

One day earlier, Tiger Woods (pictured here in March), who has been dating Vanessa since 2024, completed his stay at a rehabilitation center in Switzerland. TGL Golf via Getty Images
The golfer took his private plane to a private airport in Jupiter, Florida and was photographed after his arrival (as pictured here). MiamiPIXX/VAEM / BACKGRID

Meanwhile, Woods, 50, — who first started dating Vanessa in late 2024 — did not attend the dinner but was briefly at Kai’s graduation ceremony.

Page Six confirmed on Friday that the golfer checked out of a rehabilitation center in Switzerland — almost three months after he was arrested on DUI charges.

At one point during treatment, Woods notably took a brief break to be with Vanessa amid her cancer battle.

On Friday, the athlete took his private plane back to the US and was photographed after landing at a private airport in Jupiter, Florida.

A source previously told People that Woods was “doing the best he can” amid the “pressure” for him to heal as well the legal issues he is about to face.

A source said the athlete is “doing the best he can” amid the “pressure” including dealing with the stress from legal issues. MiamiPIXX/VAEM / BACKGRID
The champion was charged with a DUI after a rollover crash in Jupiter Island, Florida in March. He pleaded not guilty. MiamiPIXX/VAEM / BACKGRID

“This has created a great deal of stress,” the insider insisted.

Woods was charged with a DUI after a March rollover crash in Jupiter Island, Florida.

He pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor driving under the influence with property damage.

Woods also pleaded not guilty to refusal to submit to a lawful test after declining to take a urinalysis test.

He is due back in court on July 7.





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How to watch Knicks vs. Spurs NBA Finals Game 5 live for free



The New York Knicks are one win away from becoming NBA champions for the first time in 53 years and tonight’s Game 5 is their first chance to clinch the title.

A historic Game 4 win is what led them here.

The San Antonio Spurs controlled the first half of Wednesday’s matchup, building up a 76–49 lead that seemed insurmountable. The second half was all Knicks, though, as they held the Spurs to just 30 points across both frames and slowly but surely erased the deficit.

Jalen Brunson led the comeback with a 36-point performance, but the game-winning point came when OG Anunoby tipped in a Brunson miss with just 1.2 seconds left on the clock to put the Knicks ahead by one.

NBA Finals 2026: what to know

  • What: New York Knicks vs. San Antonio Spurs, Game 5
  • When: June 10, 8:30 p.m. ET
  • Where: Frost Bank Center (San Antonio, Texas)
  • Channel: ABC
  • Streaming: DIRECTV (try it free)

In the event of a Spurs win, the series will move back to Madison Square Garden for Game 6 on Tuesday.

Knicks vs. Spurs start time:

Game 5 of the NBA Finals is scheduled to tip off at 8:30 p.m. ET tonight, June 13.

NBA Finals Game 5 streaming: How to watch Knicks vs. Spurs for free

If you don’t have cable, you’ll need a live TV streaming service to stream the game for free.

DIRECTV is our top pick for watching basketball live for free — its five-day free trial includes ABC, where every game of the NBA Finals will air. When the trial is over, you’ll pay as low as $44.99/month and gain access to over 90 live channels.

Sling TV is another affordable way to watch TV live and stream NBA games; its Select plan includes ABC and starts at $19.99/month.

NBA Finals schedule 2026

All games will air on ABC at 8:30 p.m. ET.

  • Game 1: Knicks 105, Spurs 95
  • Game 2: Knicks 105, Spurs 104
  • Game 3: Spurs 115, Knicks 111
  • Game 4: Knicks 107, Spurs 106
  • Game 5: Saturday, June 13
  • Game 6: Tuesday, June 16*
  • Game 7: Friday, June 19*

* if necessary


Why Trust Post Wanted by the New York Post

This article was written by Angela Tricarico, Commerce Streaming Reporter for Post Wanted Shopping, Page Six, and Decider.com. Angela keeps readers up to date with cord-cutter-friendly deals, and information on how to watch your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and movies on every streaming service. Not only does Angela test and compare the streaming services she writes about to ensure readers are getting the best prices, but she’s also a superfan specializing in the intersection of shopping, tech, sports, and pop culture. When she’s not writing about (or watching) TV, movies, and sports, she’s also keeping up on the underrated perfume dupes at Bath & Body Works and testing headphones. Prior to joining Decider and The New York Post in 2023, she wrote about streaming and consumer tech at Insider Reviews.




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Switzerland scores World Cup goal after possible offside


So much for Switzerland staying in the neutral zone.

The Swiss might have been a step offside before the foul against Qatar keeper Mahmud Abunada that resulted in a penalty kick and a tiebreaking goal Saturday for Switzerland’s Breel Embolo during both teams’ World Cup opener.

With VAR technology, offside calls are reviewable and shouldn’t be missed. The play was reviewed.

Perhaps it’s possible that the chaotic scene that unfolded after Abunada took a brutal blow to the head after charging off the goal line and diving into Switzerland’s Remo Freuler’s body caused a distraction.


Breel Embolo #7 of Switzerland celebrates with teammates after scoring a penalty for the team's first goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group B match between Qatar and Switzerland at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium on June 13, 2026 in Santa Clara, California.
Breel Embolo of Switzerland celebrates with teammates after scoring a penalty for the team’s first goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group B match between Qatar and Switzerland at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium on June 13, 2026 in Santa Clara, California. FIFA via Getty Images

Abunada stayed down on the ground and was attended to by trainers.

The play started with a crosser into the box and a header to Freuler.


Mahmoud Abunada of Qatar lies on the ground during the 2026 FIFA World Cup First Stage Group B match between Qatar and Switzerland at Leviâs Stadium (San Francisco Bay Area Stadium) in Santa Clara, California, United States on June 13, 2026.
Mahmoud Abunada of Qatar lies on the ground during the 2026 FIFA World Cup First Stage Group B match between Qatar and Switzerland at Leviâs Stadium (San Francisco Bay Area Stadium) in Santa Clara, California, United States on June 13, 2026. Anadolu via Getty Images

Once play resumed, Embolo buried his penalty kick to the lower left corner while Abunada dove in the other direction.

It was Embolo’s third career World Cup goal, but it was remarkably Switzerland’s first penalty-kick goal in World Cup history (excluding penalty shootouts), according to ESPN.

Real soccer conspiracy theorists might point out that FIFA’s global headquarters are based in Switzerland. Or that Qatar might have made some FIFA enemies while hosting the 2022 World Cup.

Of course, it’s much more likely that the officials just missed a call. Or that a bang-bang call was bound to make one side or the other unhappy. 



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NYC Councilwoman failed to disclose free rent on luxe Queens pad, records show: ‘Raises conflict of interest concerns’



An NYC councilwoman running for Congress could be skirting city conflict-of-interest laws by failing to disclose that a political consultant provided her a free, long-term apartment at a swanky Queens condo complex, government watchdogs told The Post.

Councilwoman Julie Won (D-Queens), her political strategist husband Eugene Noh and their two children moved into the one-bedroom condo at Skyline Towers on Long Island City’s waterfront in November 2024, according to a copy of their lease agreement shared by the unit’s owner, Justin Chae.

The Democratic consultant said he agreed to waive the $5,000-a-month rent on the luxe apartment over the one-year-lease as a bonus to Noh, who agreed to work as vice president of campaigns at Chae’s company, Legion Outreach Consultants.

City Councilwoman Julie Won didn’t disclose free rent on city disclosure forms — a possible conflict of interest issue, critics said. Gabriella Bass

However, Won failed to list the perk on her 2024 annual disclosure forms filed with the city’s Conflicts of Interest Board.

The form asks candidates if they received “any gift or gifts valued at $1,000″ or more, a review of the filings showed.

If Won and her husband had to pay rent, her share for the last two months of 2024 would have been $5,000.

The COIB has yet to publicly release its 2025 filings, so it’s unclear if Won neglected to report the free lodging for that year as well.

Although Chae doesn’t do business with the city, critics say Won should’ve disclosed the freebie anyway – even if it came through a previous arrangement Chae had with her husband.

“Receiving free housing from someone with political interests that could interact with your official duties is the kind of arrangement [that] raises conflict of interest concerns,” said Ben Weinberg, director of public policy at Citizens Union.

“Elected officials in that situation should get formal guidance from COIB and disclose it as a gift.”

Won has claimed her ex-landlord Justin Chae forged her name on a bogus lease agreement.  instagram / @julieJ_won

Rachael Fauss, senior policy advisor at Reinvent Albany, also said she believes Won should have disclosed the perk.  

“It could potentially be seen as a gift, so it belongs on the forms somewhere,” she said.

Carolyn Miller, COIB’s executive director, said she can’t “provide a definitive answer” on whether Won broke any rules without speaking to the councilwoman and getting “all the relevant facts.”

“Receiving something of value could be considered a gift under the annual disclosure law, and it also could be compensation in connection with one’s employment,” she said.  “Also, for a married couple, there is often a question about who received the thing of value for reporting purposes, the filer or their spouse.”

Won and her family vacated the condo June 1, three days after being slapped with eviction papers by Chae, a top NYC political consultant and former family friend, The Post previously reported.

Skyline Towers in Queens. Helayne Seidman for the NY Post

Chae dropped the eviction case June 8 because the couple left his $1 million condo, court filings show. But he told The Post he plans to sue them to recoup $25,000 in rent he alleges they owe for the first five months of this year. Noh’s employment with Chae’s company was terminated in June of last year, Chae said.

Won, who is running in a crowded field in the June 23 Democratic primary to replace retiring Rep. Nydia Velázquez in New York’s 7th Congressional District (covering parts of Queens and Brooklyn), has insisted she and her husband never signed any lease on the luxury pad, claiming Chae forged her name on a bogus lease agreement. 

The couple has refused to address allegations that they never paid rent and declined to say if they claimed the free rent on their tax filings.

Fair-market value of employer-provided housing is generally considered a taxable fringe benefit that must be reported as income, and those receiving the perk typically are required to pay both federal and state taxes on it.

Won has threatened to sue Chae over going public with their landlord-tenant dispute, saying it’s a “clearly political smear job.”

She did not respond to requests for comment.



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Horrifed construction workers dig up remains of 32 human fetuses


Horrified construction workers digging up a driveway in rural Poland made a gruesome discovery — unearthing the remains of 32 human fetuses.

The remains, found Friday, were allegedly taken from a hospital by a pathologist who used them for unauthorized “scientific” experiments at her home, according to TVP World, a Polish International News Network.


A Polish police car
Police raced to the scene where construction workers dug up a graveyard of unborn baby bodies. NurPhoto via Getty Images

The remains were uncovered on a property in Lutoryż, a village near the city of Rzeszow, that once belonged to a 57-year-old pathologist identified by Polish media as Magdalena H.

The current owners of the five-acre plot, a young couple, had recently purchased the land from Magdalena and begun renovations, and had no idea they were about to expose a nightmare beneath their feet.

As word of the discovery spread, the once-quiet village was transformed into a major crime scene.

Tents sprang up across the property as forensic scientists in white protective suits and masks combed through the earth, searching for further evidence.

Magdalena H. was detained in the city Zamość in eastern Poland on Friday. 

The horrifying find included not only human remains, but large quantities of medical waste, all of which are now at the center of the investigation, authorities said.


A Police police insignia
The once-quiet village became a major crime scene as investigators swarmed the area. NurPhoto via Getty Images

“As established so far, these items were found during earthworks on the property. Among the waste there was also a human fetus and other remains that could constitute human fetuses in an early stage of development or their fragments,” prosecutor Krzysztof Ciechanowski told the outlet. 

Magdalena H. told prosecutors she had removed the fetuses from a hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic and used them for alleged medical research at her home, Polish Radio Eska reported.

Afterwards, authorities allege, the remains were placed into sacks and buried on the property.

Neighbors described Magdalena H. as reclusive and mysterious, according to The US Sun.

“I don’t even know what this woman does. I knew her by sight,” one villager said.

Another resident added that she “was a bit strange.”

Investigators believe the woman buried the fetuses to cut down on costs.

Magdalena H. now faces charges including the desecration of human remains and the illegal disposal of hazardous medical waste, which included tubes, containers and microscope slides.

If convicted, she could face up to 12 years in prison.



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World Cup 2026: Iran win four visa appeals but 11 staff still banned


Four members of Iran’s World Cup delegation have won appeals against having their visa applications for entry to the United States rejected.

But 11 members of the party will not be allowed to travel to the US when their team plays matches there.

Iran last week accused the US of denying visas to “integral” members of its national football team’s backroom staff.

That was after officials in Washington said Iranian players had been given permission to travel to the country for the tournament.

Iran have already moved their World Cup base to Mexico over concerns stemming from the country being at war with the United States.

Of the 15 Iranian delegation members initially denied US visas, 10 submitted fresh applications after arriving in Mexico.

Four of those appeals were successful, it has been revealed. Those granted visas include a member of the team’s technical staff working as an analyst and two officials from the federation’s international department.

The remaining six applicants were rejected again. They include Iran Football Federation (FFIRI) president Mehdi Taj, one of the federation’s vice-presidents, two team administrators responsible for day-to-day operations, a media officer and a security officer.

A second media officer chose not to reapply for a visa after the initial rejection.

Iran play New Zealand on 15 June in Los Angeles in their first game of the tournament, which is being co-hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States.

They will return to the city to face Belgium on 21 June, before meeting Egypt in Seattle on 26 June.

The country’s World Cup group-stage ticket allocation for supporters was revoked by US officials earlier this week, though Fifa has insisted it is working to “maximise opportunities for Iranian supporters to attend matches”.

The FFIRI had previously presented Fifa with a list of 10 conditions for their participation in the World Cup, including allowing players, coaches and officials who have completed military service with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

US secretary of state Marco Rubio had said Iran’s players will be welcome at the tournament but individuals with links to the IRGC could face entry restrictions.

Iran was not represented at a meeting of Fifa’s annual congress in Vancouver in April after officials were turned away at the Canadian border, with Canadian officials citing the IRGC links of delegation members.

Fifa does not place a limit on how many people are in a nation’s World Cup delegation, though it will only cover costs of up to 50 individuals.



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