A fraught path to the 2026 World Cup
Iran’s national football team touched down in Antalya on Tuesday, marking the final leg of a preparatory friendly before the side seeks to secure the visas needed for the 2026 World Cup in the United States. The squad, composed of 22 domestic‑based players and their coaching staff, will face The Gambia on May 29 in a warm‑up match that also serves as a visa interview for the Americans.
The timing is delicate. Just weeks after Washington launched strikes against Iranian targets, U.S. officials have publicly affirmed that Iran is welcome to compete, with President Donald Trump stating, “Let ’em play.” Yet Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that any ties between players and the Revolutionary Guards could complicate the clearance process.
FIFA secretary general Mattias Grafstrom met with the Iranian Football Federation in Turkey to discuss the logistics, and the governing body has rejected proposals to relocate Iran’s fixtures to Mexico or Canada. The Iranian federation confirmed that a base camp will be established in Tucson, Arizona, where the team will acclimatize before the tournament begins.
Group G of the tournament places Iran against New Zealand in Los Angeles, Belgium in Seattle, and Egypt in a third match whose venue is still being finalised. The team’s coach, Amir Ghalenoei, emphasized that the players are focused on football rather than politics, while federation president Mehdi Taj and technical director Sam Mehdizadeh have been lobbying for smooth visa approvals.
Despite the diplomatic headwinds, the players remain optimistic. Their recent victory in the Asian qualifiers in March 2025 guarantees a spot at the world stage, and the friendly in Antalya is seen as a crucial test of fitness and cohesion before the June 15 opener against New Zealand.
The episode underscores how sport navigates a fraught geopolitical landscape, with the eyes of both fans and policymakers on a team that must balance athletic ambition with the realities of an increasingly polarized relationship between Tehran and Washington.