US Denies Visas to Several Members of Iran National Team Delegation

The United States has denied entry visas to several members of Iran’s national team delegation ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, while granting visas to the players and the remainder of the squad.

After months of uncertainty regarding their participation, Iran’s players received US visas only days before the tournament begins. The team is scheduled to play all three of its group-stage matches in the United States, according to senior officials cited by The New York Times.

One official said an Iranian representative was urgently sent on Friday to collect the passports submitted as part of the visa approval process. While visas were approved for all 26 players named in Iran’s World Cup squad, applications submitted by more than a dozen support staff members—including coaches, analysts, and medical personnel—as well as officials from the Iranian Football Federation expected to travel with the team, were rejected, according to four officials familiar with the matter.

The same official added that the visa application of Iranian Football Federation President Mehdi Taj, who previously served as a commander in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), was also denied.

This development comes amid ongoing tensions between Washington and Tehran, which have raised questions in recent months about visa arrangements for Iranian representatives participating in international events hosted by the United States.