The Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran (FFIRI) president, Mehdi Taj, has revealed that Iran players are yet to receive visas for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, fewer than 100 days before the tournament kicks off in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
According to reports, thousands of fans gathered in Tehran on Wednesday for a farewell rally ahead of the tournament, which begins on June 11.
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Taj admitted that the visa situation remains unresolved despite ongoing discussions with FIFA.
“The visa issue has still not been resolved,” Taj told Iran’s state news agency IRNA.
“Tomorrow or the day after, we will have a decisive meeting with FIFA. They must give us guarantees.”
“We have not received any account from the other side regarding who has been granted visas. No visas have been issued yet,” he added.
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Iran players may travel to Turkey for visa processing
According to Taj, Iranian players are expected to travel to Ankara, Turkey, for fingerprinting as part of the visa application process.
“The players must travel to Ankara for fingerprinting, but we are trying to arrange for this to be done in Antalya, so there will be no need to travel to Ankara,” he explained.
Iran are scheduled to face New Zealand on June 15 and Belgium on June 21 in Los Angeles before taking on Egypt in Seattle on June 26.
The team is expected to be based in Tucson, Arizona, during the tournament.
Political tensions continue to cast shadow
The ongoing geopolitical tensions involving Iran, the United States and Israel have continued to raise uncertainty around Iran’s participation in the tournament, despite a fragile ceasefire reportedly remaining in place since April.
Last month, Gianni Infantino insisted Iran would participate in the competition.
“Of course, Iran will play in the United States of America,” Infantino said during FIFA’s annual congress in Vancouver.
Iran was notably absent from the congress after a delegation of Iranian FA officials, including Taj, were reportedly denied entry into Canada.
Taj later claimed the delegation chose to return home after what they considered disrespectful treatment by immigration officials.
Canada’s immigration minister reportedly stated that Taj’s visa was cancelled mid-flight because of alleged links to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Iranian players would be welcomed at the tournament, although individuals linked to the IRGC could face restrictions.
Iran submits conditions to FIFA
The Iranian football federation has also reportedly submitted a list of 10 conditions to FIFA regarding the country’s participation in the World Cup.
Among the requests is a demand that players, coaches and officials who previously completed military service with the IRGC should still be eligible to receive visas for the tournament.
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