Iran arrives in Mexico for World Cup amid US ‘malicious acts’
Iran’s national football team touched down in Mexico on Sunday ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup amid what Tehran called “political interference” by Washington to deny visas to some members of its support staff.
The tournament, jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada, begins on Thursday.
The Iranian squad arrived in the border city of Tijuana after leaving their training camp in Antalya, Turkey, where they had spent almost three weeks preparing for the event and applying for visas to enter Mexico, Canada and the United States.
Although Iran will play all of its Group G matches in the United States, the team will be based in Tijuana throughout the competition.
Iran said visas were not granted to 15 members of its support staff.
The Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran (FFIRI), which its president Mehdi Taj was reportedly among those denied visas, described the move as “political interference in sport in its worst form.”
Taj said Iran had been granted entry to the United States only one day before its matches.
“We do not know how far the Americans’ obstruction will go,” Taj said.
“It is truly strange that they interfere in football administration to this extent,” he said. “We expect the malicious acts that have taken place to continue.”
Earlier reports had suggested visas would be issued only on match days, but Taj said entry permits had instead been granted from the day before each fixture.
Iran’s Ambassador To Mexico, Abolfazl Pasandideh, said on Saturday that the team had been informed it would be required under the terms of its visas to enter US territory on the day of its matches and leave afterwards.
The restriction could complicate compliance with FIFA regulations, which require a team’s head coach to hold a pre-match press conference at the venue ahead of each game.
Iran have been drawn in Group G and will face New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15, before meeting Belgium on June 21. They will conclude the group stage against Egypt in Seattle on June 26.