A diplomatic dispute has erupted over the United States visa status of several members of Iran's 2026 World Cup delegation, just days before the tournament kicks off. The Iranian team is scheduled to depart for Mexico to begin its pre-competition camp, with all three group-stage matches set to be played in the United States.
For the past three weeks, Iran has been training and playing closed-door matches in Antalya, Turkey, while diplomats worked to secure U.S. entry visas. On June 5, visas were granted for the players and some staff members. However, Iranian state media and officials reported that several key support staff, including Iranian Football Federation chief Mehdi Taj, were excluded.
A U.S. State Department official confirmed on June 6 that "the visas necessary for Iran to compete in the World Cup, including for athletes and necessary support staff, have been issued." The official added: "We will not allow the Iranian team to abuse this system to sneak terrorists into the United States under false pretenses."
Earlier the same day, the Iranian embassy in Turkey criticized U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack, who had praised his staff for issuing the visas and noted that "sport transcends borders." The embassy’s response accused the U.S. of denying visas to "a large portion of the managerial and executive staff, technical advisers, and others who are an integral part of any national football team."
The embassy statement added: "You have now escalated the deliberate and discriminatory treatment against Iran's national football team to its highest level. The U.S. government in practice is depriving Iran's national team of its right to play in the World Cup under normal conditions and without undue pressure and stress."
According to Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency, those without visas include three Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran officials: executive director Mehdi Kharati, secretary general Hedayat Mombini, and media director Mohsen Motamedkia. The agency said the staff would travel with the team to Mexico while efforts to obtain visas continued.
The FFIRI condemned the U.S. actions as a violation of international sports law and said it would raise the matter with FIFA. “The U.S. government, continuing its hostile actions against the national team, made a non-sporting and completely political decision to refuse visas for key managerial and administrative members,” the federation stated.
The situation has cast uncertainty over Iran’s logistics during the tournament. The team originally planned to set up its base camp in Tucson, Arizona, but switched in May to Tijuana, Mexico, due to visa issues.
Iran is set to face New Zealand on June 15 in Los Angeles, Belgium on June 21 in Los Angeles, and Egypt on June 26 in Seattle. Iran’s ambassador to Mexico, Abolfazl Pasandideh, told reporters that under the current visa conditions, the team must enter and leave U.S. soil on the same day as each match.
This contradicts team spokesman Amir Mahdi Alavi, who told state television that the visas were multiple-entry and that the team would arrive at each venue one to two days before their matches. FIFA rules stipulate that a team’s coach must hold a press conference at the match venue on the eve of each game, raising questions about how Iran will comply under the current restrictions.
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