European champions Spain were surprisingly held to a 0-0 draw by debutants Cape Verde in their World Cup opener on Monday, June 15. Meanwhile, Iran prepared for their anticipated tournament entrance amidst a turbulent build-up.

• Spain, heavily favored, dominated possession with 74 percent but could not score against the underdogs.
• Cape Verde, a nation of just 525,000 people, celebrated securing an improbable point in their first-ever World Cup match.
• Iran's preparations were marked by visa issues with co-hosts the United States, and protests are planned outside their opening game against New Zealand.

Iran battled back twice to secure a 2-2 draw with New Zealand in a tumultuous opening match of their World Cup campaign. The match was frequently overshadowed by political protests and the ongoing tensions surrounding Iran's involvement.

• Iran, the lowest-ranked team in Group G, faced significant distractions related to political protests that manifested both inside and outside the Los Angeles Stadium.
• Key goals for New Zealand were scored by striker Elijah Just, while Iran's equalizers came from Ramin Rezaeian and Mohammad Mohebi.
• The team had overcome numerous obstacles before arriving, including visa issues and a last-minute change of training camps, highlighting the significant challenges faced by Team Melli.

An Iranian national football team player's United States visa has expired after the team's World Cup opener, casting doubt on his continued participation. This comes amid a diplomatic row between Iran and the United States.

• Winger Mehdi Torabi was issued a single-entry visa that has now expired.
• The Iranian Football Federation is seeking a new visa for Torabi.
• This incident follows previous visa issues for approximately 15 members of the Iranian delegation.