Less than a month before the start of the 2026 World Cup, Iran’s participation in the tournament remains shrouded in uncertainty because the team has not yet received visas to enter the United States, a situation that has forced the Iranian Federation to request direct guarantees from FIFA.
The president of the organization, Mehdi Taj, confirmed this Thursday that he will hold a decisive meeting with the governing body of world football to try to resolve the problem before the start of the competition on June 11.
Taj explained that the immigration process continues without progress and that Iranian players must even travel to Ankara, Turkey, to complete the fingerprinting process required to obtain a US visa. “Tomorrow or the day after tomorrow we will have a decisive meeting with FIFA. They must provide us with guarantees because the visa problem remains unresolved,” stated the leader, who insisted that the responsibility of ensuring access for the teams corresponds to the international organization.
The situation is also marked by diplomatic tension between Iran and the host countries of the tournament. Just two weeks ago, Taj himself was denied entry to Canada to attend the FIFA Congress, raising fears that other members of the Iranian delegation would face similar restrictions.
Despite the uncertainty, thousands of fans said goodbye to the Iranian team last Wednesday in a massive ceremony held in Tehran’s Revolution Square, where the official kit for the 2026 World Cup was also presented.
FIFA at the center of the controversy
FIFA President Gianni Infantino reiterated that Iran will play its matches in the United States as established in the draw, although the Iranian federation has left the responsibility of guaranteeing the access of its players and officials to the host country in the hands of the organization. “We have nothing to do with the United States. “We have qualified for the World Cup and it is up to FIFA to organize it,” Taj pointed out.
The Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister warned that if FIFA cannot guarantee the participation of all teams without discrimination or restrictions, the credibility of the tournament will be compromised. The Iranian team, which will be based in Tucson, Arizona, will play its three group stage matches against New Zealand, Belgium and Egypt in Group G.