Iran’s sports minister has said FIFA has promised the country’s men’s football team will receive visas to play in the United States at the 2026 World Cup, despite ongoing regional tensions and war in the Middle East that have raised months of uncertainty about the squad’s participation. Ahmad Donyamali told local news agency ISNA that FIFA president Gianni Infantino personally assured Tehran that “all our players would receive visas” and insisted “there is no reason why our players should not receive visas”. He added that host nations have an obligation to provide visas to all participating countries, including for players and backroom staff, and expressed hope that conditions would be met so the national team could compete “in a calm and orderly manner”.
The reassurance comes as Iran adjusts its tournament logistics to navigate U.S. entry restrictions. FIFA has approved Iran’s request to move its World Cup training base from Tucson, Arizona, to Tijuana, Mexico, just across the border from the United States. Iranian Football Federation president Mehdi Taj said the switch would help avoid visa-related complications and that the squad could obtain multiple-entry U.S. visas while based in Mexico. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed Mexico will allow Iran to be based there to sidestep U.S. visa restrictions.
At FIFA’s congress in Vancouver last month, Infantino said Iran would play their World Cup games in the U.S. as scheduled, stating “of course Iran will be participating at the FIFA World Cup 2026” and “Iran will play in the United States of America”. The Iranian team is currently preparing in Antalya, Turkey, and some players visited the U.S. embassy in Ankara to submit visa applications.
Iran has been drawn in Group G and will play its first two matches in Los Angeles, opening against New Zealand on June 15 before facing Belgium on June 21, then Egypt in Seattle on June 26. Officials noted that Tijuana is about a 55-minute flight from their Los Angeles venues, closer than the previously planned Arizona camp. The 2026 tournament, co-hosted by the U.S., Mexico, and Canada, kicks off on June 11.
