Iran Heads to World Cup Base in Mexico Amid U.S. Visa Dispute
Tehran accuses Washington of discrimination after several football federation officials reportedly fail to obtain visas ahead of matches in the United States
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — Iran’s national football team departed from Turkey for its World Cup training base in Mexico on Saturday amid an ongoing dispute with the United States over visas for members of the team's delegation, adding another layer of tension to the country's participation in the tournament.
The squad left the Mediterranean resort city of Antalya aboard a private jet bound for Tijuana, Mexico, where it will complete preparations before traveling to the United States for group-stage matches later this month.
According to Iranian state television, several senior officials from the Iranian Football Federation had not received U.S. visas before the team's departure. Those reportedly affected include federation Secretary-General Hedayat Mombeini and Vice President Mehdi Mohammad Nabi, along with a number of administrative and support staff.
It remained unclear whether federation president Mehdi Taj had been granted entry authorization.
The visa controversy has complicated Iran’s preparations for the tournament and prompted the federation to relocate its training camp from Tucson to Tijuana, a Mexican border city adjacent to California.
In a statement, the Iranian Football Federation accused Washington of engaging in “vindictive behavior” by denying visas to what it described as key managerial and administrative personnel.
The federation argued that the decision undermines fair competition and said it intends to raise the issue with FIFA, world football’s governing body.
“The decision has effectively denied the Iranian national team the opportunity for a level playing field and a competition free from discrimination,” the federation said.
U.S. officials, speaking anonymously to the Associated Press, said all Iranian players had received visas. One official stated that players, coaches, trainers, and some support staff had been approved, while another suggested certain applicants connected to the delegation were denied visas after allegedly applying under “false pretenses.”
The Iranian team has been training in Antalya as it prepared for the tournament and has already secured entry visas from Mexican authorities.
Iran is scheduled to open its World Cup campaign against New Zealand in Inglewood, California, on June 15 before facing Belgium on June 21. The team will then travel to Seattle to play Egypt on June 26.
Should both teams finish second in their respective groups, Iran could potentially face the United States in the Round of 32 on July 3 in Arlington, Texas.
Iran’s participation in the tournament has been overshadowed by the regional conflict that erupted earlier this year. In March, U.S. President Donald Trump questioned whether Iran should participate in the World Cup, saying such involvement was not “appropriate” and expressing concerns about the safety of Iranian players.
Iran’s national team swiftly rejected those comments, insisting that “no one can exclude” it from the competition.
The country’s football authorities had initially cast doubt on participation amid the conflict. Iran’s sports minister said in March that taking part in the tournament might not be possible, but the federation later confirmed it would proceed with a squad.
Iran finalized its roster earlier this week, including 17 players based in the domestic league whose clubs have been inactive since February because of the war.
The visa dispute highlights the complex intersection of sports and geopolitics as Iran prepares to compete on football’s biggest stage while diplomatic tensions between Tehran and Washington remain high.
