Iran World Cup Team Relocates to Mexico as US Visa Dispute Escalates

Iran’s national football team arrived in Tijuana, Mexico on Sunday morning, crossing into the border city from San Diego, California, after an overnight flight from Turkey. The squad’s relocation follows a diplomatic tension with cohost United States, which has denied visas to key administrative staff despite granting access to players.

The Iranian Football Federation moved the team’s base camp from Arizona to Mexico in a last-minute decision, citing uncertainty over U.S. visa approvals. While the U.S. awarded visas to players earlier this month, 15 support staff members, including “key managerial and administrative members,” were denied entry, according to Iran’s federation.

The team trained in Antalya, Turkey for three weeks while applying for visas across all three host nations. Iran’s embassy in Ankara criticized the U.S. visa denials as discriminatory, urging FIFA to hold America accountable for violating tournament protocols.

Tensions escalated further as Iran’s ambassador to Mexico revealed that visa conditions may require the team to exit U.S. soil immediately after each match, contradicting earlier assurances of multi-entry permits. This restriction could hinder compliance with FIFA’s rule requiring pre-match media duties at U.S. venues.

The U.S. State Department confirmed providing “necessary visas for athletes and support staff” but stopped short of addressing specific denials. Officials referenced concerns about potential links between some delegation members and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, designated a terrorist organization by Washington.

Iran faces New Zealand and Belgium in Los Angeles on June 15 and 21, followed by Egypt in Seattle on June 26. Their base in Mexico places them geographically distant from most U.S. match venues, complicating compliance with FIFA’s requirements for pre-game media engagements.

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