Iran's World Cup 2026 squad arrived in Mexico on Sunday amid a diplomatic row after the US refused visas for some support staff. The team landed in Tijuana, where they will be based despite playing all group-stage matches in the US.
Coach Amir Ghalenoei criticised the delay, saying: 'We should have been here last week because a 12-hour time difference needs two weeks of adjusting.' He added: 'Ethical and human considerations must be respected – which I think for us it was not the case.'
Captain Ehsan Hajsafi demanded answers from Fifa: 'Why so late? In the last year, we experienced two imposed wars in our country.' He insisted the team is '100% ready' and can advance from Group G, which includes New Zealand, Belgium and Egypt.
Iran's embassy in Turkey said 15 administrative staff were denied visas, calling it 'deliberate and discriminatory treatment'. The Iranian FA labelled the issue 'political interference in sport'. A US official said they would not allow the team to 'sneak terrorists into the United States under false pretences'.
The team's visa conditions remain unclear. Iran's ambassador to Mexico said they must enter and leave US soil on the same day as matches, but the team spokesman claimed multiple-entry visas were issued. Fifa rules require coaches to hold pre-match press conferences at the venue.
