Iran’s World Cup squad submits passports to US embassy for visas amid relocation
Iran’s national football team has handed their passports to the United States embassy in Turkiye to obtain visas for the 2026 World Cup, according to the head of the Iranian football federation, Mehdi Taj. The move follows a period of uncertainty over whether the squad, which is due to play all three of its group matches on US soil, will be able to enter the country.
Speaking on Friday, Taj said the federation was following instructions from FIFA, world football’s governing body. “Yesterday, I had discussions with FIFA regarding the US visas,” he said. “We were told to submit all passports to the US embassy in Ankara.”
The Iranian team is scheduled to fly from Turkiye to Spain on Saturday before heading to their base camp in Mexico. Mexico has already issued visas to the squad. “We are waiting to see what happens today or, at the latest, tomorrow, because our national team needs to receive these passports and travel with them to Tijuana,” Taj said.
Taj added that the federation had “raised certain points and requests, in such a way that FIFA was told that if they [the Americans] do not issue visas for the players, some members of our technical staff, and other sections of our delegation, we may make other decisions.” He said, however, that his assessment was that all visas would be issued in full and that “there most likely will not be any problem in this regard.”
Coverage comparison
Iran’s World Cup participation has been complicated by the team’s relocation and the ongoing tensions between Tehran and Washington. The squad’s original training base in Tucson, Arizona, was moved to Tijuana, Mexico, a decision confirmed by FIFA on Monday, according to reporting by Al Jazeera. The team’s delegation will be based in Tijuana and will travel to the US for all three group-stage matches, which are scheduled for Los Angeles (June 15 against New Zealand, June 21 against Belgium) and Seattle (June 26 against Egypt).
Iran’s ambassador to Mexico, Abolfazl Pasandideh, expressed concern over US visa denials for the delegation and called on FIFA to help ensure the team’s full participation. He also said that Iran is not competing on “equal terms” because of difficulties in training. “We haven’t been able to train our team like they should,” he said, citing the US-Israel war on his country that began on February 28.
Taj, speaking earlier in the week in Mashhad, said he expected the US to issue visas for the squad and support staff. He noted that players and staff who travelled to Turkiye from Iran applied for US visas, while those who had not applied before the war also submitted applications in person at the embassy. He also said the entire squad applied for Canadian visas in case Iran advanced to knockout-round venues in Canada.
Key claims
- Iran’s football squad has handed their passports to the US embassy in Turkiye for visas, as reported by Al Jazeera.
- The team’s training camp was relocated from Tucson, Arizona, to Tijuana, Mexico.
- Iran’s World Cup schedule includes matches in Los Angeles and Seattle.
- The Iranian squad has not been issued US visas yet.
- Iran’s football federation has submitted visa applications for the team.
- The US and Israel launched attacks on Iran in February, leading to a regional conflict, as reported by Al Jazeera.