A US official confirmed Iran's World Cup squad has been issued visas to enter the United States, days after the federation moved its training camp from Arizona to Tijuana over security concerns.
Iran's footballers will be allowed into the United States for the 2026 World Cup after a US official confirmed the squad had been issued entry visas, removing one of the most politically charged uncertainties hanging over the tournament.
The confirmation, first reported by ABC News and carried by ESPN and Al Jazeera, arrived with Iran's Group G opener against New Zealand just over a week away.
The US Ambassador to Türkiye, Tom Barrack, said the embassy in Ankara had processed the visas, posting that he was "proud of our outstanding team" for completing the work. The visas reportedly cover players, coaches and support staff.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, quoted by ESPN, drew a line between the players and Iran's government, saying: "We have no problem with the athletes, as we stated earlier, or their support staff." Rubio has separately indicated the delegation would be monitored, with particular attention to any figures linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
!The first World Cup in which a host nation hosts a country it is in open conflict with — and the visas only landed days before kickoff.
Iran had originally been slated to train in Tucson, Arizona. At the request of the Iranian football federation, the base was relocated across the border to Tijuana, Mexico, with reporting attributing the switch to security concerns. The squad had already received Mexican visas earlier in the week and was due to travel over the weekend.
The backdrop is unusually fraught. Multiple outlets describe this as the first World Cup since the competition began in 1930 in which a host nation will receive a team from a country it is at war with. Iran finalised a 23-player squad on Monday, a group that — per ESPN — includes 17 home-based players whose domestic league had been suspended since February amid the wider regional conflict.
Iran's schedule is set, even as the logistics around it stay delicate:
Reports that individual players could face additional vetting at the border remain unconfirmed by Iranian officials, and should be treated as such until the squad has actually travelled. What is confirmed is the headline: the visas have been issued, and Iran are cleared to play.
For a team whose participation looked genuinely in doubt only weeks ago, simply arriving will feel like a result. The football, for once, is the straightforward part.
Kickoff Scores is an independent publication and is not affiliated with FIFA.
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