Iran World Cup Team Departs for Mexico Amid Ongoing U.S. Visa Dispute

ANTALYA: Iran’s national football team departed Turkey for its training base in Mexico on Saturday as concerns persisted over U.S. visa approvals for several members of the team’s administrative delegation ahead of the FIFA World Cup.

According to Iranian state television, 14 officials and support staff members, including Iranian Football Federation Secretary-General Hedayat Mombeini and Vice President Mehdi Mohammad Nabi, had not yet received U.S. visas before the team’s scheduled group-stage matches in the United States later this month. It remains unclear whether federation president Mehdi Taj has been granted a visa.

The visa issue has added to the challenges surrounding Iran’s participation in the tournament, which has been complicated by the ongoing conflict involving Iran. Earlier difficulties in obtaining visas prompted the team to relocate its training base from Tucson, Arizona, to Tijuana, Mexico, near the U.S.-Mexico border.

The Iranian Football Federation accused the United States of engaging in “vindictive behavior” by denying visas to what it described as key managerial and administrative personnel. In a statement published on its website, the federation said the decision had effectively deprived the national team of a fair and discrimination-free competitive environment. It added that the matter would be pursued through FIFA.

Tensions over the issue intensified after the Iranian Embassy in Ankara responded to comments by U.S. Ambassador Tom Barrack, who had praised embassy staff for processing visas for the Iranian team. The embassy criticized the U.S. position, arguing that it violated FIFA regulations and host-country obligations, and described the situation as an example of political interference in sport.

U.S. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, have maintained that all Iranian players were approved for visas. One official stated that visas had also been issued to coaches, trainers and some support personnel, while another suggested that certain applications had been denied because they were submitted under what authorities considered false pretenses.

Iran’s squad has been preparing for the World Cup at a training camp in Antalya, Turkey. The team confirmed that it has received visas from the Mexican Embassy in Ankara and departed aboard a private charter flight from Antalya Airport on Saturday afternoon.

The players, dressed in blue blazers and white T-shirts, left the Mardan Palace Hotel before boarding the flight to Mexico.

Iran is scheduled to open its World Cup campaign against New Zealand in Inglewood, California, on June 15, before facing Belgium on June 21. The team will then travel to Seattle for its final group-stage match against Egypt on June 26. A potential knockout-stage meeting between Iran and the United States could take place on July 3 in Arlington, Texas, should both teams finish second in their respective groups.

Political controversy has surrounded Iran’s participation in the tournament for months. In March, U.S. President Donald Trump questioned whether Iran should be allowed to compete, citing concerns about the appropriateness of participation and player safety. Iran’s national team responded by asserting that no country had the authority to exclude it from the competition.

Iran finalized its World Cup squad earlier this week, including 17 domestic-based players whose clubs have not played competitive matches since February due to disruptions caused by the conflict. Notably absent from the roster is star striker Sardar Azmoun, who was reportedly omitted following a social media post that drew criticism from Iranian authorities during the war.

Although Iran’s sports minister had previously suggested that participation in the World Cup might not be possible, the football federation confirmed in May that preparations would continue. The federation has consistently maintained that all players and staff members, including those who completed military service with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, should be granted visas to attend the tournament.