- Iranian officials have pushed back, alleging that several key members of their delegation were denied entry permissions
- Washington officials further stated that the visa framework was designed to ensure compliance and security
- He explained that the delegation had been told they would not be permitted to remain in the U.S. between fixtures
A diplomatic dispute has overshadowed Iran’s build-up to the upcoming World Cup after travel restrictions and visa delays created uncertainty around the team’s stay arrangements in the United States.
Eko Hot Blog gathered that the Iranian squad arrived in Tijuana, Tijuana in Mexico on June 7, opting to base themselves there after abandoning earlier plans to stay in Tucson, Tucson in the United States due to unresolved visa concerns and rising political tensions between Tehran and Washington.
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Iran’s ambassador to Mexico, Abolfazl Pasandideh, said team officials were informed that strict movement rules would apply during the tournament, including the requirement to enter and exit the United States on match days only.
He explained that the delegation had been told they would not be permitted to remain in the U.S. between fixtures, describing the arrangement as highly restrictive for a World Cup campaign.
While authorities in the United States insisted that players and essential backroom staff had been granted visas ahead of Iran’s opening Group G match against New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 16, they also maintained that security rules would prevent any misuse of the tournament travel system.
Washington officials further stated that the visa framework was designed to ensure compliance and security, warning against attempts to exploit the arrangement.
However, Iranian officials have pushed back, alleging that several key members of their delegation were denied entry permissions.
The Iranian embassy in Turkey accused the United States of political interference in sport and said a significant number of managerial and technical staff had been affected.
According to Iranian media reports, roughly 15 officials, including senior federation administrators, were refused visas, a situation that has added further tension ahead of the tournament.
The dispute has disrupted Iran’s preparations for the competition, which is scheduled to begin on June 11 across the United States, Canada and Mexico. Iran qualified for the tournament in March 2025 after topping their qualification group.
On the sporting side, Iran is set to face New Zealand in Los Angeles, before matches against Belgium in California and Egypt in Seattle.
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