Players and officials from Senegal and Uzbekistan went through thorough security checks in the United States as part of preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup [1, 2, 3, 4]. On June 7, Senegal's squad was screened on the airport tarmac at Raleigh, North Carolina, before boarding a private flight to San Antonio for their warm-up match [1, 5, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9]. The Senegal Football Federation clarified this screening was a special logistical step to speed travel compliance with airport security rules, rather than an arrival check in San Antonio as some reports had suggested [5, 6, 8, 9]. The Senegal team, reduced to a 10-man squad for the friendly, played Saudi Arabia to a 0-0 draw in San Antonio on June 9 [5, 6]. A viral photo appearing to show Senegal coach Pape Thiaw being frisked during the screening was confirmed as AI-generated and not authentic [7].

Uzbekistan players were checked the following day at Icahn Stadium in New York, involving bag inspections, metal detector scans, and dog searches before a closed-door friendly against the Netherlands [1, 2, 3]. The stadium security video from their screening attracted over 2.5 million views on social media [1, 2]. The Senegal airport screening video also drew significant attention, with 1.7 million views [1, 2]. Some social media users criticized the visible nature of the security measures. One user wrote, "You’re hosting a World Cup and this is how you welcome a national team on arrival. The optics alone should embarrass US customs. These are official delegates, not random travellers" [1]. Another questioned the outdoor procedure, saying, "Did they have to do this under the sun? I mean, everyone could have been ushered into the building where this could have been done in a more conducive and respectable manner" [1].

The Senegal Football Federation responded that the screening took place during boarding at Raleigh on June 7, not upon arrival in San Antonio, emphasizing it was to optimize travel time and facilitate private flight departure [8]. This explanation counters initial reports implying the check was upon arrival in Texas [1, 2, 4].

Senegal is set to open its 2026 World Cup campaign on June 16 in New Jersey against France, followed by matches against Norway on June 22 and Iraq on June 26 [5, 6]. The World Cup runs from June 11 to July 19 across the US, Canada, and Mexico, with Senegal among the competing teams [1].