The FIFA World Cup 2026 will start on June 11, 2026, and run until July 19, 2026. The Iran national team has been given permission to travel to the United States for the 2026 World Cup; however, a number of team executives have had their visas revoked.
Since the United States and Israel began a military battle against Iran in late February, the country’s eligibility for the competition has been questioned. Iran made the last-minute announcement in late May that it will move its World Cup base camp from Tucson, Arizona to Tijuana, Mexico. Team Melli will take a flight to Mexico on Saturday, June 6, after holding a pre-tournament training in Turkey.
Iran’s players have been granted visas to travel to the United States where the squad will play all three of its group-stage matches after already being given permission to enter Mexico. But the Iranian embassy in Turkey said US visas “were refused to a significant number of the managerial and executive staff, technical advisers and others who form an essential part of any national football team.”
Will Iran National Team get visa for the World Cup?
Iran’s embassy hit back at U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack, accusing the United States of “deliberate and discriminatory treatment against Iran’s national football team.” The New York Times said that Mehdi Taj, the president of Iran’s soccer organization, was among those denied visas. Taj was a member of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a U.S.-designated terrorist organization. One of the players who has served in the IRGC is Mehdi Taremi, captain of Iran’s World Cup team.
“The U.S. government has issued the required visas for Iran to participate in the World Cup, including visas for athletes and required support staff,” a U.S. administration official told USA TODAY Sports. We will not allow the Iranian team to use this technology to smuggle terrorists into the US under false pretenses. The Iran Soccer Federation was contacted for comment.
Iran will face New Zealand in its first Group G game on June 15 in Los Angeles. It will then meet Belgium and Egypt in Seattle.
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