Iran has strongly criticized the United States for denying visas to several members of its World Cup support staff, escalating a diplomatic dispute just days before the 2026 FIFA World Cup begins. The controversy emerged as the Iranian national football team prepared to depart Turkey for Mexico, one of the tournament's co-hosts.
The U.S. Embassy in Ankara had announced on X that visas for the Iranian national football team were processed, with envoy Tom Barrack praising the embassy's work. However, Iran's embassy in Turkey countered on Saturday, asserting that a "large portion" of essential personnel, including managerial and technical staff, were refused entry. The embassy accused the U.S. of escalating "deliberate and discriminatory treatment" against the team.
Iranian media reports indicated that key figures such as the head of Iran's football federation, Mehdi Taj, along with executive members and analysts, were among those denied visas. The team, having concluded a training camp in Antalya, Turkey, was scheduled to fly to Mexico via Spain.
The timing of this visa dispute is particularly sensitive given the geopolitical context. The World Cup is being jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada. The Iranian squad had initially planned to base their training camp in the United States but relocated to Mexico due to existing tensions related to ongoing hostilities.
Iran is competing in Group G of the tournament. Their group stage matches are scheduled to take place in the United States: against New Zealand and Belgium in Los Angeles on June 15 and 21, respectively, and against Egypt in Seattle on June 26. The team played two preparatory friendlies in Turkey, defeating Gambia 3-1 and Mali 2-0.
