US Visa Row Overshadows Iran's World Cup Departure to Mexico

Iran's World Cup Squad Faces Visa Hurdles En Route to Mexico

Iran's national football squad, Team Melli, departed from Turkey for Mexico on Saturday, June 6, 2026, under the shadow of a significant diplomatic disagreement between Tehran and Washington. The dispute stems from the United States' refusal to grant visas to a substantial portion of the Iranian team's support staff, a mere five days before the co-hosted 2026 World Cup commences on June 11.

The team embarked on their estimated 20-hour journey at approximately 6:10 PM (1510 GMT), bound for Tijuana in northwest Mexico, which will serve as their base throughout the tournament, according to Iranian state television reports. Prior to their departure, Team Melli had spent nearly three weeks in a training camp in Antalya, Turkey, utilizing this period to process their visas for entry into Mexico, Canada, and the United States.

Diplomatic Spat Ignites Over Visa Denials

On Friday evening, US envoy to Turkey, Tom Barrack, confirmed on X that the players had received their US visas. However, the Iranian embassy in Turkey quickly countered, stating on Saturday that a "large" contingent of managerial, executive staff, and other personnel had been denied entry. This refusal elicited a strong reaction from the embassy, which accused the US of escalating "deliberate and discriminatory treatment against Iran's national football team to its highest level." The embassy further urged FIFA to "hold the US accountable for violations of its rules and for the discriminatory treatment of Iran's national football team."

Iranian state television corroborated that while the players and technical staff were granted visas, 15 administrative and management members were not. The Iranian Football Federation, whose head, Mehdi Taj, was reportedly among those denied, condemned the decision as "political interference in sport in its worst form." The Federation vowed to engage FIFA on the matter, stating, "By extending its hostile behaviour towards the Iranian nation into the field of sport, the... US government has deprived Iran's national team of... the opportunity to compete without discrimination."

US Cites Security Concerns Amid Regional Tensions

A US administration official responded by confirming that "the visas necessary for Iran to compete in the World Cup, including for athletes and necessary support staff, have been issued." Without directly addressing the rejected applications, the official added a controversial statement: "We will not allow the Iranian team to abuse this system to sneak terrorists into the United States under false pretences." This echoed sentiments from April, when US Secretary of State Marco Rubio indicated potential issues not with players but with "some of the other people (they) would want to bring with them," suggesting possible links to the Revolutionary Guards, an organization designated as a terrorist group by the US. Mehdi Taj, the head of the Iranian Football Federation, has been identified by Iran's diaspora media as a former member of the Guards.

The visa controversy is further complicated by heightened tensions surrounding the Middle East conflict, which began after the US and Israel initiated bombings against Iran on February 28. Despite an April 8 ceasefire that largely halted hostilities, recent exchanges of fire between the US and Iran have strained the agreement. Initially, Team Melli had planned to establish their World Cup base in Tucson, Arizona, but these geopolitical complexities led to a relocation to Tijuana, Mexico.

Despite being based in Mexico, all three of Iran's group stage matches are scheduled to take place in the United States. Iran, positioned in Group G, is slated to play New Zealand and Belgium in Los Angeles on June 15 and June 21, respectively, followed by a match against Egypt in Seattle on June 26. Before their departure, Iran concluded their preparations with friendly matches in Antalya, securing a 2-0 victory against Mali on Thursday and a 3-1 win over Gambia on May 29.