Iran's national football team has left for the 2026 World Cup in Mexico, but the squad's preparation is shadowed by a visa dispute that still leaves several officials without entry permits to the United States.
Among those stranded are Hedayat Mombeini and Mehdi Mohammad Nabi, two of the 14 Iranian delegates yet to receive U.S. visas, a situation that has prompted the Iranian Football Federation to label Washington's actions as vindictive.
Visa Dispute Escalates
The federation's criticism follows a social‑media post by U.S. Ambassador Tom Barrack, which the Iranian Embassy condemned as interference in the visa process. In response, Tehran announced a relocation of its training camp from Tucson, Arizona, to Tijuana, Mexico, to circumvent the bureaucratic hurdle.
U.S. officials maintain that all Iranian players have been cleared for entry, but they acknowledge that certain support staff have been denied on grounds of misrepresentation. The team has been training in Antalya, Turkey, ahead of its opening group matches in California against New Zealand and Belgium.
The political dimension intensified when former President Donald Trump warned that Iran's participation could pose safety risks, a remark that was met with a defiant reply from Tehran insisting that 'no one can exclude' its team. Earlier, the sports minister had suggested the World Cup appearance might be impossible, yet the federation ultimately confirmed a roster that includes 17 domestic players whose club seasons were halted by the ongoing conflict. Star forward Sardar Azmoun was omitted after a contentious online post.
Should Iran and the United States both finish second in their respective groups, a knockout clash could materialize, adding another layer of intrigue to an already tense tournament.