Iran's Football Federation Awaits U.S. and Mexico Visas for World Cup Participation With their first 2026 World Cup match less than two weeks away, Iran's football federation expects the team to receive Mexican entry visas by Tuesday, followed by U.S. visas on Friday. Federation chief Mehdi Taj stated in an interview on Iranian TV that the team will depart for Spain on Saturday and travel directly to Tijuana, Mexico, for their upcoming fixtures. Taj confirmed that the Mexican visa is expected by Tuesday or the day after, with the U.S. visa to be issued quickly. The decision to relocate Iran’s training base from Tucson, Arizona, to Tijuana, Mexico, was made at the request of the federation due to security concerns. This move necessitated additional visa arrangements, as the team will compete in two group stage matches in Inglewood, California, against New Zealand on June 15, and Belgium six days later on June 21. Their third group match is scheduled for June 26 in Seattle, where they will face Egypt. Team Melli’s participation in the World Cup has been in doubt since the U.S. and Israel launched joint attacks against Iran in late February. Despite reports of a possible peace proposal, hostilities have continued. FIFA has consistently maintained that Iran will fully participate in the tournament. Visa issues have been a major challenge for the Iranian delegation. In April, Taj’s visa to enter Canada was canceled due to his prior affiliation with Iran’s Islamic Republican Revolutionary Guards, which is classified as a terrorist organization by Canada and the U.S. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized during a House Appropriations Subcommittee hearing that the Iranian delegation will be closely monitored for individuals with ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Rubio clarified that the U.S.#united_states #fifa #mehdi_taj #mexico #iran_football_federation
