Iran's national team arrived in Mexico on June 7 — four days before the start of the 2026 World Cup. Not because it was more convenient, but because there was virtually no other option: part of the staff was denied U.S. visas, and the team itself had no idea just days earlier whether it would even be able to enter the host country.

What Actually Happened

On the eve of departure, Friday evening, players finally received American visas — confirmed by U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack in his post on X. But at the same time, the Iranian embassy in Ankara confirmed that 15 administrative and management staff members had been denied entry.

"You have escalated deliberate and discriminatory treatment of Iran's national team to the highest level,"

— Iranian embassy in Turkey, calling on FIFA to hold the U.S. accountable

Among those denied — likely including the head of Iran's Football Federation Mehdi Taj, a former commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC). Back in April, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio hinted that the problem would not be with the players, but with "certain other people" Iran wanted to bring — potentially linked to the IRGC.

FIFA's Rule That Made the Situation Unbearable

FIFA regulations require the team coach to hold a press conference the day before a match — directly at the stadium where the game will be played. For Iran, this means: before each of its three Group G matches (June 15 against New Zealand, June 21 against Belgium — both in Los Angeles, June 26 against Egypt in Seattle), the team must cross the U.S. border at least a day in advance.

Earlier, Iranian Ambassador to Mexico Abolfattah Pasanideh told journalists that the team was told: entry and exit from U.S. territory only on match day. This was contradicted by a U.S. Department of Homeland Security spokesperson, confirming arrival a day before the game. But the staff question remained unanswered: an official administration representative merely stated that "visas necessary for Iran's participation in the World Cup have been issued."

Iran Is Not Alone

The scandal extends beyond one match. According to Al Jazeera, a Somali referee was denied entry, Iraqi striker Ayman Hussein spent seven hours in interrogation with phone checks — and ultimately got into the U.S., but part of the Iraqi delegation, including the team photographer, did not. Journalists from several African countries also faced accreditation problems.

• Iran asked FIFA to move all three matches to Mexico — was denied
• The team flew from Turkey and arrived in Mexico on June 7, with less than a week to acclimatize
• FIFA awarded Donald Trump a "peace prize" at the World Cup draw — now the organization is silent on visa denials

As the Council on Foreign Relations notes, the Trump administration has imposed travel restrictions on citizens of 39 countries and suspended immigration visa processing for 75 more — while the U.S. hosts 78 of the tournament's 104 matches.

"Why so late? Last year our country endured two wars imposed on us, and the team is 100% ready to advance from the group,"

— Iran national team captain Ehsan Hajsafi

Iran's Football Federation called the situation "political interference in sports in its worst form" and announced an official complaint to FIFA. But FIFA has already shown the limits of its independence — and the question is not whether the organization will respond, but whether it has the tools to do so against the country hosting three-quarters of the tournament's matches.