Iran’s national football team has arrived in Mexico ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but preparations for the tournament have been complicated by an ongoing dispute with the United States over visas and travel restrictions.
The team landed in Tijuana on Sunday and will use the city as its training base after moving plans away from Tucson earlier this year.
Although Iran qualified for the World Cup by topping its qualifying group in March 2025, tensions between Washington and Tehran have created logistical challenges ahead of the tournament, which is being jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Iran is scheduled to play all three of its group-stage matches in the United States, including games against New Zealand, Belgium and Egypt.
According to Iranian officials, players and essential support staff have received U.S. visas, but several senior federation officials and advisers have reportedly been denied entry. Iranian state-linked media said around 15 members of the delegation, including football federation executives and media officials, were unable to obtain visas.
U.S. authorities said visas had been granted to all players and necessary team personnel, while stressing that entry requirements would be enforced strictly.
American officials have also stated that individuals with links to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps would not be permitted to enter the country under the World Cup delegation.
Iran has strongly criticized the decision, accusing Washington of allowing politics to interfere with sport. Iranian diplomatic officials called on FIFA to become involved in the dispute.
The situation has drawn international attention because it marks the first FIFA World Cup in which a host nation is receiving a team from a country with which it is engaged in active military conflict.
Despite the controversy, Iran’s squad is continuing preparations for its opening match against New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15.
The visa dispute has added a political dimension to what is expected to be one of the most closely watched World Cups in history, with security and diplomatic tensions likely to remain under scrutiny throughout the tournament.
