US Visa Dispute Escalates: Iran World Cup Team Arrives in Mexico for Preparations

2026 World Cup Key News

(Mexico City, Tijuana, 7th, Combined Foreign Reports) Amid a diplomatic dispute between Tehran and Washington over the US refusal to issue visas to some accompanying staff, the Iranian national football team arrived in Mexico today to prepare for the 2026 World Cup.

According to AFP, the visa dispute erupted just days before the World Cup opening. The tournament is co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, and is scheduled to kick off on the 12th.

The Iranian team left their training camp in Turkey yesterday and headed to Mexico. Iran's state television earlier reported that the team was expected to arrive early this morning in the northwestern border city of Tijuana, which will serve as their base during the tournament.

Iran will play all three of its group stage matches on US soil, making this World Cup the first time a host nation has welcomed a team from a country with which it is in a state of war.

Iran had originally planned to base itself in Tucson, Arizona, but changed to Tijuana at the end of May. The team conducted a nearly three-week training camp in Antalya, Turkey, during which they applied for visas to Mexico, Canada, and the United States.

As the team prepared to depart for Mexico, players received US visas. However, the Iranian embassy in Turkey immediately lodged a strong protest, stating that 15 administrative staff members were denied US visas. An Iranian diplomat and state television confirmed this information.

The embassy posted on social media platform X on the 6th: "You have now pushed deliberate discrimination against the Iranian national football team to its peak," and called on FIFA to hold the United States accountable for violating regulations.

Additionally, Iran's ambassador to Mexico, Abolfazl Pasandideh, stated that the team was informed that, according to visa conditions, they must enter and exit the United States on the day of the match.

He told reporters: "We can enter the country on the morning of the match day, but we must also leave the country on the same day."

This statement contradicts an earlier report by the team's spokesperson, Amir Mahdi Alavi, to state television. Alavi had said the team had received multiple-entry visas, allowing them to arrive in the match city one day before the first game and two days before subsequent matches.

According to FIFA World Cup regulations, each team's head coach must attend a press conference at the match venue one day before the game.

Iran is in Group G and will face New Zealand and Belgium in Los Angeles on the 15th and 21st, respectively, before traveling to Seattle to play Egypt on the 26th. (Editor: Shi Shi) 1150607