TEHRAN - Iran’s national team have traveled to Turkey to continue preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup while still waiting for the visas required to enter the United States.

Team Melli departed on Monday for Turkey to begin their final training camp ahead of the World Cup, although the squad have still not received the visas required to enter the United States, where it will play their group stage matches.

Head coach Amir Ghalenoei confirmed that the team will travel to Antalya with a preliminary roster of 30 players, which must be reduced to the final 26-man squad before the official start of the tournament on June 11.

The Iranian coach expressed hope that every member of the delegation will obtain their travel documents before the team depart for North America. Meanwhile, Iran national team director Mehdi Mohammad Nabi stated that the federation remains in constant communication with FIFA and expects the issue to be resolved within the next two weeks.

The uncertainty continues with less than one month remaining before Iran’s World Cup debut, scheduled for June 15 against New Zealand in Los Angeles. Team Melli will later face Belgium and Egypt in Group G.

Iran Football Federation president Mehdi Taj recently held a meeting in Istanbul with FIFA secretary general Mattias Grafström to discuss the visa situation. Following the meeting, Taj said he was satisfied with the discussions and reiterated FIFA’s intention to guarantee Iran’s participation in the tournament.

However, the situation remains sensitive due to ongoing diplomatic tensions between Iran and the United States. The Iranian federation has reportedly conditioned its participation in the World Cup on several guarantees related to security, transportation, respect for national symbols, and the approval of travel visas for the entire delegation.

For his part, FIFA president Gianni Infantino publicly stated that Iran would be welcomed “with enthusiasm” in North America and described the 2026 FIFA World Cup as “the most inclusive sporting event in history.”

While the visa situation remains unresolved, Iran will continue their preparation camp in Turkey with training sessions and friendly matches ahead of the tournament, maintaining hopes of participating without complications in their seventh FIFA World Cup.