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Tehran send-off and departure
Iran’s national football team held a farewell ceremony in Tehran before departing for Türkiye to begin preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with IRNA reporting the event would start at 1700 GMT at Tehran’s Enghelab Square and continue through the evening.
“The event will begin at 1700 GMT at Tehran’s Enghelab Square”
Channels Television described the ceremony as a moment when “The national team players in the World Cup will represent the people, the country’s fighters, the leader (supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei), and the country,” said Taj.
TRT World said Iran plans a pre-World Cup training camp in Antalya, Türkiye, where the team is expected to play two friendly matches, including one against Gambia on May 29.
The same TRT World report said Iran were drawn in Group G alongside Belgium, Egypt, and New Zealand, with Iran opening the tournament against New Zealand at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on June 16.
Anadolu Ajansı added that the team’s final group-stage match will be against Egypt at Lumen Field in Seattle on June 26, with SoFi Stadium holding around 70,000 fans and Seattle’s Lumen Field nearly 68,000.
Pressure, politics, and FIFA
Iran’s preparations are unfolding amid diplomatic and logistical concerns about its participation in a tournament co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, with TRT World describing the squad heading toward the event as tensions draw attention.
Iranian football analyst Salar Alikhah told Anadolu that “We have seen many times in football that an entire stadium was against a team, but that atmosphere became extra motivation for the players,” framing the pressure of the World Cup as potentially energizing.
TRT World reported that Taj said Iran is seeking guarantees from FIFA after Iranian football officials were unable to attend the FIFA Congress in Canada last month despite holding valid visas, with Taj and federation Secretary-General Hedayat Mombeini facing entry issues upon arrival in Canada on April 29.
In a separate statement carried by TRT World, Taj said, “We have no issue with the United States. We are going to the World Cup because we qualified. Our host is FIFA, not any specific country,” linking Iran’s participation to FIFA rather than any host nation.
Anadolu Ajansı also said Iran plans to obtain visas for all team members in Ankara and is seeking exemption from fingerprinting procedures while requesting direct charter flights to the United States.
Conditions, jersey unveiling, and Tucson
WANA News Agency said Tehran’s Enghelab Square farewell ceremony would include the unveiling of Iran’s new jersey for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and a special anthem dedicated to the national team, with the event scheduled to begin at 8:30 p.m. local time.
““We have set 10 conditions for participating in the World Cup”
WANA reported that Mehdi Taj revealed the Iranian Football Federation had submitted 10 conditions to FIFA regarding the national team’s participation, including a demand that visas be issued to all members of the Iranian delegation without exception.
The federation president told WANA, “We have set 10 conditions for participating in the World Cup, and we are trying to arrange a direct flight from Turkey to the United States through Iranian airlines,” tying the conditions to travel and tournament access.
Al Jazeera said the new jersey was unveiled at the event as huge crowds gathered in Tehran’s Revolution Square to celebrate and send off Iran’s national football team ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
The الوقائع الإخبارية report said team officials explained that the squad will base itself in Tucson, Arizona, during the finals period, with the coaching staff focusing on preparing the players physically and mentally before entering the tournament.
