Visa crisis clouds Iran’s 2026 FIFA World Cup preparations

With just weeks until the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Iran’s national football team is still waiting to receive visas to the U.S., raising fresh concerns over travel arrangements and tournament preparations.

Iranian officials say players and team staff have yet to obtain the required travel documents despite ongoing discussions involving FIFA and US authorities.

Read Also: Iran sets 10 demands for FIFA ahead of 2026 World Cup

The issue has forced the team to relocate its training camp from Tucson, Arizona, to Tijuana in Mexico, creating further complications ahead of the tournament jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.

Iran’s ambassador to Mexico, Mohammad Taghi Hosseini, described the situation as unfair and said the team was not preparing under the same conditions as other nations participating in the World Cup.

“We are not on equal terms with the other teams,” Hosseini said during a news conference in Tijuana.

He added that the United States had not fulfilled its hosting responsibilities and admitted uncertainty over whether visas would eventually be granted to the players and officials.

“We don’t know whether or not they’re going to give the players their visas,” he said.

Iran’s football delegation had initially planned to establish its tournament base in Tucson, but concerns surrounding security and visa approvals forced a late relocation to Mexico.

FIFA confirmed the change earlier this week following consultations with Iranian football authorities.

Iranian Football Federation president Mehdi Taj also expressed concern over the delays, revealing that no visas had yet been issued to the squad.

The delays have further disrupted Iran’s preparations, with officials insisting the team has been unable to train properly ahead of the competition.