Mehdi Taj, president of the Islamic Republic of Iran Football Federation (FFIRI), said on May 28 that the United States must issue multiple-entry visas to all members of Iran's national team for the 2026 World Cup, as they will need to enter and exit the US several times during the tournament.
Speaking to reporters in Mashhad, northeastern Iran, Taj stated: 'The US should grant multiple-entry visas to all players, because they will have to leave and re-enter the US multiple times.' He stressed that the Iranian team has not yet received US visas.
Earlier, some team members attended visa interviews in Turkey, where they are training, last week. Players and staff traveling from Iran to Turkey submitted applications for US visas. Those who had not applied before the war broke out in February also applied directly at the embassy. At the same time, the entire team applied for Canadian visas as a precaution in case Iran advances to the knockout rounds, which are held in Canada.
The tensions escalated when the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran starting on February 28, leading to a three-month regional conflict. Despite a ceasefire, the US carried out airstrikes on Iranian military bases on May 27, and Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) retaliated by attacking an 'American airbase' in the region.
Iran's World Cup campaign opens on June 15 against New Zealand in Los Angeles, California, followed by a match against Belgium on June 21, and a final Group G game against Egypt in Seattle, Washington, on July 1. FIFA confirmed on May 25 that Iran's training base had been moved from the US to Mexico at the team's request.
Originally, Iran had selected a sports complex in Tucson, Arizona, as its base, but later requested a change. FIFA announced that Iran will be based at Centro Xoloitzcuintle in Tijuana, Mexico, located just across the US-Mexico border near San Diego. Taj said this location could help resolve visa issues when the team needs to enter the US.
'All training bases for World Cup teams must be approved by FIFA,' Taj said in a statement on May 22. 'Fortunately, after our requests and meetings with FIFA and World Cup officials in Istanbul, as well as an online meeting yesterday in Tehran with the FIFA Secretary-General, our request to change the base from the US to Mexico was approved.'
The 2026 World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, runs from June 11 to July 19.
