Iraqi national team forward detained at U.S. airport ahead of the 2026 World Cup
Iraqi national team striker Aimen Hussein was detained at a U.S. airport ahead of the 2026 World Cup in North America. The soccer player had to undergo hours of questioning at the border, which put his participation in the team’s preparations at risk of being delayed.
The incident occurred at Chicago O'Hare International Airport, where the Iraqi delegation had arrived to prepare for the tournament's final stage. According to a representative of the Iraqi Olympic Committee, U.S. border authorities detained 30-year-old forward Aimen Hussein of the Qatari club Al-Khor and questioned him for nearly seven hours.
During a thorough inspection, U.S. officers also examined the soccer player’s cell phone in detail. Ultimately, after an exhausting procedure, Hussein was allowed to enter the country. Neither the player nor the Iraqi Football Association has officially commented on the incident.
Aimen Hussein is a key figure for his national team, as it was his winning goal in the playoff match against Bolivia that secured the team’s spot in the World Cup.
The official photographer of the Iraqi national team, Talal Salah, was far less fortunate. U.S. law enforcement officials detained him in the border control zone for over 10 hours. Salah’s phone was also confiscated and inspected, but unlike the soccer player, the media representative was ultimately denied entry and deported from the country.
This is a historic achievement for Iraq, as the country has qualified for the World Cup for the first time since 1986 and only for the second time in its history. In the group stage of the World Cup, the Iraqis will compete in Group I, where they will face the powerful national teams of France, Senegal, and Norway, according to The Guardian.
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