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Visa row delays Iran
Iran’s national football team arrived in Mexico and began preparations for the FIFA 2026 World Cup amid a US visa dispute that left some team support staff denied entry.
Al Jazeera said last-minute visas were approved for players only 10 days before the team’s first match in Los Angeles, while several support staff were denied visas and the squad shifted its base to Tijuana.
The BBC reported that Iran’s players and support staff were told they have to fly in and out of the United States on match day, and that Iran says 15 other officials and support staff have been denied visas altogether.
The dispute has been framed as political interference in sport, with the BBC quoting an official describing it as "political interference in sport in its worst form."
Players and coaches react
At Tijuana airport, Iran coach Amir Ghalenoei complained that “we should have been here last week because a 12-hour time difference needs two weeks of adjusting,” as the team landed around 5am on Sunday.
The Guardian reported that Ghalenoei thanked FIFA for efforts to secure entry but added, “We are upset about this behaviour. It has certainly never happened before.”
Iran’s captain Ehsan Hajsafi demanded answers to FIFA over the delay, saying “Why so late?” and linking it to “two imposed wars in our country.”
Ehsan Hajsafi also insisted “the team is 100% ready” and said “we can advance” from the group stage, even as the visa row continued around the squad’s travel plans.
Match schedule and stakes
Iran’s group-stage matches are set for Los Angeles against New Zealand on 15 June and Belgium on 21 June, with the third game in Seattle against Egypt on 26 June, while the team’s base remains in Tijuana.
The BBC said the World Cup is jointly hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico and begins on 11 June, with Iran’s opening fixture in Los Angeles against New Zealand on 15 June.
US officials said visas had been issued to all players and “necessary support staff” on Friday, 10 days before Iran’s opening fixture, while the BBC reported that Iran was told it would not be allowed to “abuse this system to sneak terrorists into the United States under false pretences.”
The BBC added that Iranian state-linked media said 15 officials including the football federation chief, his deputy, and a media director are among those denied entry, leaving the squad’s access and preparation under strain as the tournament approaches.
