TEHRAN - With less than 10 days remaining before the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the Iranian national team find themselves dealing with an unexpected challenge off the pitch: ongoing uncertainty surrounding travel visas required for participation in football’s biggest tournament.

Iran have already secured their place at the World Cup and have been drawn into Group G alongside Belgium, Egypt, and New Zealand.

Team Melli will begin their campaign against New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 16, followed by a clash with Belgium on June 21, before concluding the group stage against Egypt in Seattle on June 27.

However, while preparations on the field continue smoothly, logistical arrangements have been complicated by delays in the issuance of U.S. visas for members of the Iranian delegation. The situation has raised concerns within football circles because the United States, as one of the tournament’s three host nations, carries a responsibility to facilitate participation and provide equal access for all qualified teams.

Iranian football officials have confirmed that visa applications were submitted through the required channels and that FIFA remains actively engaged in discussions with the relevant authorities. 

According to Team Manager Mehdi Mohammadnabi, FIFA has informed the federation that a final decision from Washington is expected shortly. He described the continued uncertainty as unfair, emphasizing that all qualified teams should be able to focus solely on football.

The visa issue has already forced a significant adjustment to Iran’s World Cup plans. Instead of establishing their training base in Arizona as originally intended, Team Melli will now be headquartered in Tijuana, Mexico, following a proposal supported by FIFA and welcomed by Mexican authorities.

Mexico has played a constructive role throughout the process. In the latest positive development, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi announced that Mexican officials had simplified visa procedures for the Iranian delegation. According to Araghchi, Mexico’s embassy in Ankara waived fingerprinting requirements and agreed to issue visas within the next one to two days, a move expected to ease the team’s travel preparations considerably.

Yet the challenge is not completely resolved. Because Iran’s training camp will be located in Mexico while all three group-stage matches will be played in the United States, players and staff require multiple-entry travel authorization to cross the border several times during the tournament. Securing these documents remains the final and most important administrative hurdle.

FIFA has consistently emphasized the importance of protecting the integrity of the World Cup and ensuring that all qualified nations can participate without discrimination. As the tournament approaches, football supporters around the world will be watching closely, hoping that administrative obstacles are removed quickly so that attention can return to where it belongs: the game itself.