Iran's National Soccer Team Arrives in Mexico Ahead of the FIFA World Cup
US officials said visas were issued to players, but 15 delegation members were denied entry, complicating Iran’s World Cup preparations.
- Iran's national soccer team arrived in Tijuana, Mexico, on Sunday following three weeks of training in Turkey, though the squad faces strict travel limits requiring entry and exit on match days only.
- Following visa denials, the football federation labeled the decision "non-sporting and completely political" and said it would appeal to FIFA, after officials issued visas for players and "necessary support staff" but denied entry to 15 delegation members.
- According to the ambassador to Mexico, players must enter and leave on match days, while the team spokesman told Iranian state TV the visas were multiple-entry and would allow arrival two days before each game.
- Denied officials include federation executive director Mehdi Kharati, secretary general Hedayat Mombini, and media director Mohsen Motamedkia. Federation president Mehdi Taj, a former IRGC commander, was previously denied entry, prompting the team to relocate from Tucson to Tijuana.
- The World Cup tournament schedule includes Iran facing New Zealand in Los Angeles, Belgium in California, and Egypt in Seattle. This marks the first time a host nation receives a team from a country with which it is at war.
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43 Articles
Iranian national team members can come to the USA on the day of the match in the group stage of the World Cup, but they must leave America immediately after it.
According to the Iranian authorities, all members of the Iranian football team did not get the same permission to go to the United States, where they had to play their chicken games. Players would have had visas requiring them to enter the country only on the eve of their encounters. Iran assures that, on the other hand, part of the team's management and management staff did not obtain a visa. - 2026 World Cup: Iranian players forced to enter an…
The Iranian team, which competes twice in Los Angeles and once in Seattle, wants to defend itself against having to go on and off again on the day of the match
Iran World Cup team will enter, leave US on match days amid visa dispute: Official
Iran’s Ambassador to Mexico says the country’s national football team has been instructed to enter and leave the United States on the same day as its matches during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
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