Iran Seeks FIFA Assistance in Securing Multiple-Entry Visas to the United States for World Cup Team

Mehdi Taj, the head of Iran's football federation, anticipates that FIFA will facilitate the process of obtaining multiple-entry visas for the Iranian national team to enter the United States ahead of the 2026 World Cup, as stated in a video broadcast by Iranian media on Thursday.

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According to Taj, FIFA is expected to provide a multiple-entry visa, allowing players to enter and exit the United States, specifically to travel to and from Mexico, where the team has relocated its training camp to Tijuana from Tucson, Arizona.

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The Iranian squad, known as "Team Melli", had initially planned to base itself in Arizona but made the switch to Mexico to avoid complications with US visas and to enable direct travel to Mexico on Iran Air flights.

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Taj had previously mentioned that the relocation was intended to simplify the team's travel arrangements, and he has now confirmed that the team will indeed be heading to Mexico, with preparations already underway.

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Iran is scheduled to play all three of its Group G matches in the United States, starting with a match against New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15, followed by games against Belgium and Egypt in the same city and Seattle, respectively.

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The team's participation in the World Cup had been uncertain for months, set against the backdrop of the Middle East war triggered by the US-Israeli bombing campaign against Iran on February 28.

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Regarding the status of Iran's star striker, Sardar Azmoun, Taj claimed he was "not aware of the situation", after Azmoun was omitted from the initial squad list drawn up by the team's manager.

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Azmoun, who has scored 57 goals for Iran and previously played for Bayer Leverkusen and AS Roma, had voiced support for recent anti-government protests and faced criticism in Iranian state media, including accusations of treason after a photograph showed him alongside the ruler of Dubai.

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An Iranian vice president recently called for Azmoun to be reinstated to the national team, and in a recent Instagram post, Azmoun stated that he had rejected "a very large financial offer from another country" and described himself as "a son of Iran".