Iran's national football team attended visa appointments in Ankara on Thursday, submitting applications for Canadian entry ahead of the 2026 World Cup. Some players also applied for US visas, with the squad scheduled to play all three group-stage matches in the United States.
The tournament, co-hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico, sees Iran face New Zealand on 15 June and Belgium on 21 June in Los Angeles, before meeting Egypt in Seattle five days later. Progress to the knockout rounds would require access to Canada.
An Iranian football federation official confirmed that the entire squad applied for Canadian visas, while some players who had not previously applied for US entry did so in Ankara. Foreign-based players joined the team there before travelling to the training camp in Antalya on Turkey's Mediterranean coast.
Iran's domestic league was suspended following US and Israeli strikes on the country from 28 February, leaving many players without competitive football for seven weeks. Coach Amir Ghalenoei has been preparing the squad in Antalya, with match fitness a concern.
Despite securing early qualification for the expanded 48-team World Cup, preparations have been overshadowed by the conflict. US President Donald Trump suggested in March that Iran's participation might be inappropriate, but later told reporters, 'Let them play'. Fifa President Gianni Infantino has maintained that Iran will compete.
Iran are due to play Gambia in a friendly on 29 May before Ghalenoei names his final 26-man squad by Fifa's 1 June deadline.
