Iran’s World Cup squad is expected to arrive in Mexico early Sunday under the shadow of a growing diplomatic dispute with the United States, after Tehran accused Washington of refusing visas to several members of the team’s support staff.
The row comes just days before the start of the 2026 World Cup, which will be hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.
The Iranian team left Turkey on Saturday after completing a training camp in Antalya. Iranian television reported that the squad was bound for Mexico and is expected to arrive in Tijuana, near the US border, early Sunday. The arrival is expected on Sunday evening Bangladesh time.
Tijuana will serve as Iran’s base for the duration of the tournament. The team had originally planned to stay in Tucson, Arizona, but switched to Mexico in late May.
Iran will play all three of their Group G matches in the United States. It marks the first World Cup in which a host nation will welcome a team from a country it is currently at war with.
The squad spent nearly three weeks in Turkey and used that period to apply for visas for travel to Mexico, Canada and the United States.
Late on Friday, US ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack said on X that Iranian players had received their US visas before leaving for Mexico.
However, Iran’s embassy in Turkey reacted strongly, saying several members of the team’s support staff had been denied visas. Iranian officials and state television reported that 15 administrative and management staff members were affected.
“You have now escalated the deliberate and discriminatory treatment against Iran’s national football team to its highest level,” the embassy said on X. It also called on FIFA to hold the United States accountable for what it described as violations of football regulations.
Adding to the confusion, Iran’s ambassador to Mexico, Abolfazl Pasandideh, said the team had been informed that it would only be allowed to enter and leave the United States on the same day as its matches.
“We can enter in the morning and we must leave the same day,” Pasandideh told reporters.
His comments appeared to contradict earlier remarks from team spokesman Amir Mahdi Alavi.
“The visas issued for the national team are multiple-entry visas, and the national team will arrive at the match venue one day before the first game and, for the following games, two days prior to each match,” Alavi told state television.
Under FIFA rules, a team’s head coach is required to attend a press conference at the match venue on the day before each game.
Iran’s Football Federation, whose president Mehdi Taj was reportedly among those denied visas, condemned the decision.
The federation described it as “political interference in sport in its worst form.”
A US administration official later confirmed that visas had been issued to players and essential support staff.
“The visas necessary for Iran to compete in the World Cup, including for athletes and necessary support staff, have been issued,” the official said.
Without addressing reports of rejected applications, 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 this year, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio suggested concerns were linked not to players but to individuals travelling with the delegation who may have connections to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, which the United States lists as a terrorist organisation.
Iranian media outlets outside the country have reported that Taj is a former member of the Guards.
The visa dispute has also affected Iraq’s World Cup preparations.
US Customs and Border Protection said Iraq’s national team arrived in Chicago on Friday and that two members of the delegation underwent additional screening.
“Following inspection, one traveler was admitted to the United States. The second traveler, a photographer and NOT a player on the team, was determined to be inadmissible and was denied entry,” the agency said.
Regional tensions have remained high since fighting broke out between Iran, the United States and Israel earlier this year. Although a ceasefire reached on April 8 largely halted the conflict, recent exchanges of fire have raised concerns about renewed instability.
Iran are in Group G and will open their World Cup campaign against New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15. They will then face Belgium in Los Angeles on June 21 before taking on Egypt in Seattle on June 26.
