Iran has not received US visas for the 2026 World Cup

The President of the Iranian Football Federation, Mehdi Taj, made new statements regarding the Iranian national team’s visa crisis 28 days before the start of the 2026 World Cup. He confirmed that the matter has not been resolved yet, and his country is awaiting official guarantees from FIFA.

The official Iranian news agency IRNA quoted Taj as saying that the Iranian Federation will hold a decisive meeting with the International Football Federation (FIFA) in the coming days, in an attempt to end the visa crisis related to the delegation’s entry into the United States.

Taj stated that “no visas have been issued yet,” adding that the Iranian Federation has not received any official clarifications regarding the names of the individuals approved for visas, which increases the state of ambiguity before the World Cup.

He explained that the national team players may be forced to travel to the Turkish capital, Ankara, for visa fingerprinting procedures, noting that there are efforts underway to move these procedures to Antalya to alleviate logistical pressure and avoid traveling to Ankara.

World Cup supposed to be free from political contempt

The President of the Iranian Federation stressed that FIFA is the party responsible for ensuring the smooth running of the participation procedures, stating that FIFA is required to provide clear guarantees that allow the Iranian national team to travel to the United States, play its matches, and return without obstacles.

Canadian authorities had refused to grant Mehdi Taj an entry visa due to the sanctions imposed on him, adding a new dimension to the challenges facing the Iranian delegation before the tournament, which is being hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, according to Reuters news agency.

The Iranian national team is scheduled to be in Tucson, Arizona, during the World Cup finals, where they will begin their campaign against the New Zealand national team in Los Angeles on June 15, as part of Group Seven competitions.

Featured image via the Canary

By Alaa Shamali

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