Iran has accused the United States of creating unnecessary obstacles for its national football team after the squad arrived in Mexico ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The Iranian team landed in Tijuana, a city close to the US border, on Sunday amid growing diplomatic tensions between Tehran and Washington over visa restrictions and travel arrangements for the tournament.
Iran Football Federation President Mehdi Taj claimed the team was only granted permission to enter the United States one day before its opening World Cup match, describing the situation as unfair and politically motivated.
We do not know how far the Americans’ obstructionism will continue. What the United States is doing reflects malice and a lack of equality among teams, Taj said, according to Iranian Students’ News Agency (ISNA).
However, a US administration official told CNN that visas required for Iranian players and essential support staff had been issued, insisting that the country would not allow the system to be exploited.
With the World Cup being jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada, Iranian authorities confirmed that the national team would stay in Mexico between matches and only enter the US shortly before games.
According to reports, the team will use multiple-entry visas, arriving one day before their opening fixture and two days before subsequent matches.
Iran is scheduled to face New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15, Belgium in Los Angeles on June 21, and Egypt in Seattle on June 26.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum had earlier disclosed that the Iranian squad would be based in Mexico during the tournament.
Taj described the situation as truly strange and accused Washington of interfering in the administration of a global sporting event.
He revealed that the Iranian Football Federation plans to file an official protest with FIFA.
We do not know what kind of mischief they might create at the airport. They suffered setbacks elsewhere and are now trying to vent their frustrations on the football field, he said.
Iran head coach Amir Ghalenoei also complained that several officials, media personnel and members of the management team had yet to receive travel approval.
I ask you, what kind of treatment is this? I hope this situation is corrected and that such behaviour is not repeated in the future, Ghalenoei said.
Adding to the criticism, the Iranian Embassy in Ankara accused the United States of denying the national team normal participation conditions.
In a statement, the embassy described the development as “the worst possible form of political interference in sport.
Football remains one of the strongest unifying forces in Iran, and qualification for the World Cup has traditionally been a source of national pride.
But with tensions between the United States, Israel and Iran still running high, the 2026 FIFA World Cup has become entangled in broader geopolitical disputes, threatening to shift attention away from the sport itself.
