Iran's national soccer squad departs for Turkish destination

Iran's national football team posed for a photo on the pitch prior to a friendly match against Costa Rica in Antalya, southern Turkey, on March 31, 2026, with FIFA's president confirming that Iran will participate in the World Cup despite the ongoing Middle East war.

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The team traveled to Turkey on Monday to play a final friendly match and apply for visas to enter the United States for the 2026 World Cup, as reported by Iranian media, with the squad consisting of 22 domestic-based players and their coaching staff.

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Iran's participation in the tournament comes despite the US, along with ally Israel, launching a massive wave of attacks against the country on February 28, with a ceasefire having been in place for weeks, but peace talks have yet to yield a breakthrough.

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The team's trip to Turkey is scheduled to include a final friendly match, with head coach Amir Ghalenoei stating that they will also complete their US visa applications while in the country, according to the Tasnim news agency.

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Iran secured its spot in the World Cup in March 2025, but since then, the US has launched two attacks on the country, with US officials maintaining that Iran is welcome to participate in the tournament.

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FIFA has also stated that the tournament will proceed as planned, rejecting Iranian suggestions to move their games to co-hosts Mexico or Canada, with US President Donald Trump saying "let 'em play" in late April.

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US Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed concerns that the issue may not be with the Iranian players themselves, but rather with "some of the other people they would want to bring with them", implying potential ties to the Revolutionary Guards, which the US has designated a terrorist organization.

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Last month, Iranian football federation officials canceled a trip to the FIFA congress in Canada, citing that they had been "insulted" by Canadian immigration officers, with one of the delegation members, Mehdi Taj, being a former member of the Revolutionary Guards, which Canada has also designated a terror group.

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The Iranian football team is scheduled to play two friendlies in Antalya, with one match already confirmed against The Gambia on May 29, according to Sam Mehdizadeh, an Iranian-Canadian who sets up friendlies for the team.

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Mehdi Taj, the head of Iran's football federation, stated that "no visas have been issued yet" for the team, with FIFA secretary general Mattias Grafstrom holding a meeting with the federation in Turkey on Saturday, describing it as constructive.

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Once the squad arrives in the United States, they will set up their base camp in Tucson, Arizona, with their first match scheduled against New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15, followed by matches against Belgium and Egypt.