Iranian national team lineup
Iran’s national football team has been granted visas to enter the United States ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, easing uncertainty just days before their opening match in Los Angeles.
A White House official confirmed on Friday that the visas were approved overnight after Iran’s ambassador to Mexico, Abolfazl Pasandideh, revealed that the squad had still been awaiting clearance as late as Thursday.
While the players are now cleared to travel, reports indicate that some members of Iran’s technical and administrative staff are yet to receive entry visas. Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency claimed the U.S. embassy had not approved visas for several officials, though no source was cited.
The visa delays prompted Iranian authorities to relocate the team’s World Cup base from Arizona to Tijuana, Mexico, where the squad is expected to arrive on Sunday. The move reflects Tehran’s desire to limit the team’s stay in the United States amid ongoing tensions between the two countries.
Iran will begin its Group G campaign against New Zealand on June 15 in Los Angeles before facing Belgium in the same city and Egypt in Seattle.
The tournament has taken on added political significance as it marks the first World Cup in history where a host nation is set to welcome a country with which it is engaged in active conflict.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently stated that individuals linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards would not be permitted as part of the country’s World Cup delegation.
Despite the strained relationship, Ambassador Pasandideh said Iran’s participation in the tournament demonstrates its commitment to peace, even as diplomatic efforts between Tehran and Washington continue alongside ongoing military hostilities.