US-Iran World Cup clash would be more than a game

If results fall a certain way, the United States and Iran could meet in the knockout rounds of the World Cup. Such a match would compress decades of geopolitical tension into 90 minutes of football. The potential pairing has drawn attention far beyond sports fans, as the two nations have had no formal diplomatic relations since 1980. While both teams must first advance from their groups, the possibility of this high-stakes encounter has already sparked intense interest worldwide.