Iran Reports No US Visas Issued for 2026 World Cup Team
The Iranian Football Federation has announced that no visas have been issued for its national team to participate in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Federation chief Mehdi Taj stated that the issue remains unresolved, creating significant uncertainty regarding the team's participation. Taj indicated that a decisive meeting with FIFA is scheduled to secure necessary guarantees. While players are required to travel to Ankara, Turkey, for fingerprinting, officials are attempting to arrange this process in Antalya to simplify logistics. This diplomatic hurdle arises amidst heightened tensions, as Iran has been engaged in conflict with the United States and Israel since February 2026, although a fragile ceasefire has held since April. Despite the lack of diplomatic relations between Tehran and Washington since 1980, Iran recently held a send-off ceremony for the squad. The team, known as TeamMelli, is scheduled to be based in Tucson, Arizona, and plans to open their campaign against New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15, followed by matches against Belgium and Egypt in Group G.
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