Arabic version: منتخب إيران لكرة القدم ينتظر موافقة تأشيرات الولايات المتحدة لكأس العالم
Iran’s football federation chief has confirmed that no visas have been issued for the national team ahead of the 2026 World Cup in the United States. According to Al Jazeera, Mehdi Taj stated that a decisive meeting with FIFA is expected soon to seek guarantees on the visa issue.
Taj expressed concerns over the lack of communication regarding visa approvals, noting that they have not received any information about who has been granted visas. The players are required to travel to Ankara for fingerprinting as part of the visa application process, although efforts are being made to shift this requirement to Antalya.
The backdrop to these developments includes ongoing tensions between Iran and the US, which have had no diplomatic relations since 1980. The situation has been exacerbated by recent military conflicts in the region, although a fragile ceasefire has been in place since April 8.
Iran’s national team, known as TeamMelli, is preparing for the tournament, which will see them based in Tucson, Arizona. Their World Cup journey begins on June 15 against New Zealand in Los Angeles, followed by matches against Belgium and Egypt in Group G.
