Hyderabad, July 2 -- Throughout the course of history, the FIFA World Cup has always carried political undertones. Way back in 1938, it was alleged that dictator Benito Mussolini had used his power to influence the referees in favour of Italy. In 1978, the event was hit by political controversy in the host country Argentina when the country's dictator General Jorge Rafael Videla kidnapped and tortured thousands of political opponents.

So, the world's biggest sporting event has never existed in complete isolation from politics and its adverse effects.

But perhaps the 2026 FIFA World Cup has demonstrated more clearly than ever how political rivalries can spill into sport, with the experience of the Iranian national team becoming the tourn...