US approves Iran team for World Cup travel
The U.S. has approved visas for Iran’s national football team ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, resolving uncertainty just 10 days before their opening match, a White House official told Reuters on Friday.
The delays in visa approvals prompted Iran to relocate its training base from Arizona to Tijuana, Mexico, where the national team is scheduled to arrive on June 7, News.Az reports, citing Shafaq news.
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Iran will open its Group G campaign against New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15, before facing Belgium in the same city. The team will then conclude its group-stage schedule against Egypt in Seattle.
Earlier this month, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio informed lawmakers that individuals linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) would not be permitted to join the country’s World Cup delegation.
The tournament takes place against the backdrop of ongoing tensions between Washington and Tehran, marking the first World Cup since its inception in 1930 in which a host nation is expected to welcome a country with which it is in active conflict.
By Ulviyya Salmanli
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