Iran says US has not issued World Cup visas for players
The Iran Football Federation said the United States has yet to issue entry visas to members of Iran’s national football team ahead of the 2026 Fifa World Cup 2026.
Federation president Mehdi Taj told Nasim TV that no player had yet received a visa and that the process was taking “a very long time”.
Iran’s national team is preparing for a training camp in Türkiye lasting around 15 days later this week, while officials hope the issue will be resolved during that period.
Taj said he planned to meet Gianni Infantino and Fifa Secretary General Matthias Grafström to discuss the matter. Iran had previously asked Fifa to move its Group G matches against New Zealand, Belgium and Egypt from the US to Mexico, but the request was rejected.
Iran’s Ali Alipour fights for the ball with Costa Rica’s Guillermo Villalobos during a friendly in Antalya, Turkey, 31 March 2026 (Adem Altan/AFP)