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The Iranian Football Federation expects a decision from US authorities within the week on visa applications for players and technical staff ahead of the 2026 World Cup...
The Iranian national team is anxiously awaiting the decisions of US authorities on entry visas, which could affect the team's preparations for the 2026 World Cup.
The vice president of the Iranian Football Federation, Mehdi Mohammad Nabi, stated that the results of the US visa applications are expected to be announced within this week. According to him, the federation has contacted FIFA directly to obtain information on the progress of the procedure, while the international organization has announced that final decisions are expected in the coming days.
The 2026 World Cup will be held from June 11 to July 19 and will be hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada. The visa issue comes at a time of tense diplomatic relations between Tehran and Washington, adding to uncertainty about the Iranian team's participation.
Nabi made these comments after Iran's 3-1 victory over Gambia in a friendly match held in Antalya, Turkey.
A day earlier, the president of the Iranian Football Federation, Mehdi Taj, expressed hope that US authorities would show flexibility in handling the requests. The federation is seeking the issuance of multiple-entry visas for players and technical staff, as the team's plan calls for its official base during the tournament to be in Tijuana, Mexico.
According to this plan, the Iranian national team will travel to the United States only for the group stage matches and then return to Mexican territory.
The match schedule makes the issue even more urgent. Iran will play its first match of the World Cup on June 16 in Los Angeles against New Zealand. On June 21, also in Los Angeles, it will face Belgium, while on June 26 it will play Egypt in Seattle.
The Iranian federation hopes that by the start of the tournament, visa procedures will have been completed and the team can focus fully on the sporting aspect of the competition.
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