Iran’s national football team will be able to travel to the United States for the 2026 FIFA World Cup after US authorities approved visas for players and essential members of the delegation.
The decision end weeks of uncertainty surrounding the team’s participation in matches scheduled to be played in the United States, one of the tournament’s three host nations alongside Canada and Mexico.
US officials confirmed the approval on Monday, just days before Iran’s opening group-stage fixture against New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15.
Visa uncertainty finally resolved
In a statement, US officials said: “The visas necessary for Iran to compete in the World Cup, including for athletes and necessary support staff, have been issued.”
The officials also stressed that the process would be closely monitored, adding that the United States would not allow the Iranian delegation to “abuse this system to sneak terrorists into the United States under false pretenses
The Iranian Football Federation has not yet publicly commented on the visa approvals.
Concerns over travel documents had disrupted Iran’s preparations in recent weeks. The team had initially planned to hold its training camp in Tucson, Arizona, but later moved its base to Mexico.
Iranian Football Federation president Mehdi Taj previously attributed the change to visa-related difficulties.
Reports in Iranian media last week indicated that several members of the team’s technical and administrative staff were still awaiting travel clearance.
Political tensions overshadow tournament build-up
The issue attracted further attention after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told lawmakers that individuals linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps would not be permitted to enter the country as part of the World Cup delegation.
Several players in the Iranian squad have completed mandatory military service connected to the organisation, although no restrictions have been announced against the players themselves.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will begin on June 11 and is expected to be the biggest edition of the tournament, featuring 48 teams for the first time.
Iran’s participation carries additional significance because it will be the first World Cup in which a host nation welcomes a team from a country with which it is currently engaged in a conflict.