Iran’s World Cup squad has been granted visas to enter the United States ahead of the country’s opening match at the FIFA World Cup, easing concerns over the participation of the players amid ongoing diplomatic tensions between Tehran and Washington.
A White House official confirmed to Reuters on Friday that visas had been issued to the Iranian players, just 10 days before their first Group G fixture in Los Angeles. The confirmation came after Iran’s Ambassador to Mexico, Abolfazl Pasandideh, revealed earlier in the week that the team had yet to receive the necessary travel documents.
Despite the breakthrough for the players, several members of Iran’s administrative delegation are still awaiting visa approval. According to Iran’s semi-official Tasnim News Agency, those affected include Executive Director Mehdi Kharati, Football Federation Secretary-General Hedayat Mombini and Media Director Mohsen Motamedkia.
The report stated that officials who have not yet received visas will accompany the team to Mexico while efforts continue to secure clearance for entry into the United States.
The United States, Mexico and Canada are jointly hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which kicks off on Wednesday. The tournament carries significant geopolitical implications, marking the first World Cup in history where a host nation is set to welcome a country with which it is actively engaged in conflict.
Amid visa uncertainties and growing political sensitivities, Iran recently relocated its World Cup base camp from Arizona to Tijuana, Mexico. The team is expected to arrive in the Mexican border city on Sunday before travelling to the United States for matches.
Iran will begin its Group G campaign against New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15 before facing Belgium and later Egypt in Seattle.
Pasandideh maintained that the United States had never officially communicated any opposition to Iran’s presence on its territory during the tournament. However, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently informed lawmakers that individuals linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps would not be permitted entry as part of the World Cup delegation.
The policy has already affected senior football figures. Mehdi Taj, president of Iran’s Football Federation and a former Revolutionary Guards commander, was denied a visa to attend the World Cup draw held in Washington last December.
Speaking through a Spanish interpreter at the Iranian Embassy in Mexico City, Pasandideh described Iran’s participation in the tournament as a symbol of its commitment to peaceful engagement despite strained relations with the United States.
“Iran’s participation in the World Cup — even on the soil of what is seen as its enemy — shows that Iran seeks peace,” he said.
The development comes as diplomatic efforts between Tehran and Washington continue, with both nations pursuing negotiations aimed at securing an interim peace agreement while military operations remain ongoing.