Iran’s national team have arrived in Mexico to continue their preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup amid a growing diplomatic dispute over visas and access to the United States.
The Iranian squad landed in Tijuana on Sunday after relocating their training base from Tucson, Arizona, due to concerns about travel arrangements and entry permissions.
The move comes as all three of Iran’s Group Stage matches are scheduled to be played in the United States, yet players and support staff have reportedly been informed that they will be required to enter and leave the country on match days.
Iranian officials have strongly criticised the situation, claiming that 15 members of the delegation have been denied visas.
Those reportedly affected include senior football federation officials and members of the media team.
The issue has generated significant controversy ahead of a tournament jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
US authorities confirmed on Friday that visas had been issued to all players and what they described as “necessary support staff”, ten days before Iran’s opening match against New Zealand in Los Angeles on 15 June.
However, American officials insisted that entry procedures would remain subject to national security requirements.
The dispute intensified after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that individuals with alleged links to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps would not be permitted entry into the country.
Iranian officials have condemned the restrictions, describing them as political interference in sport and arguing that football should remain separate from geopolitical tensions.
The situation is particularly sensitive given the wider conflict involving Iran, Israel and the United States, making this the first FIFA World Cup in which a host nation is receiving the team of a country with which it is engaged in active hostilities.
Despite the off-field distractions, Iran will be focused on their sporting ambitions after qualifying impressively for the tournament by finishing top of their qualifying group in March 2025.
The Asian giants will open their campaign against New Zealand before facing further Group Stage assignments in the United States.
For now, preparations continue from their temporary base in Mexico, as players and officials seek to keep their attention on football amid one of the most politically charged storylines of the tournament.
