US visa delays affect Iranian soccer team ahead of World Cup

Iran’s Football Federation Holds Farewell Ceremony Ahead of World Cup

A farewell ceremony was held for Iran’s national football team in Tehran on Wednesday, as the team prepares to participate in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. According to state news agency IRNA, the team is expected to travel to the United States for the tournament.

Federation chief Mehdi Taj stated that a meeting with FIFA would take place “tomorrow or the day after tomorrow” to discuss visa issues. However, Taj confirmed that no visas have been issued yet, citing a lack of communication from the other side regarding who has received visas.

Taj also mentioned that the team’s players were scheduled to travel to Ankara for fingerprinting as part of the visa process. In an effort to avoid this, the federation is attempting to arrange for the process to be completed in Antalya instead.

The US and Israel launched military operations against Iran on February 28, leading to a conflict that has had a lasting impact on regional relations. A fragile ceasefire has been in place since April 8. Diplomatic relations between Tehran and Washington have not existed since 1980, following the hostage crisis at the US embassy and the Islamic revolution.

The Iranian national team will be based in Tucson, Arizona during the World Cup. The team’s first match is scheduled for June 15 against New Zealand in Los Angeles, followed by games against Belgium and Egypt in Group G.

Source: Al Jazeera