Iran to travel to the U.S. the day before its first World Cup match

Iran’s football federation released the national team’s group‑stage schedule for the World Cup, a tournament that is starting under challenging conditions for the Islamic Republic.

While the players secured the visas needed to enter the United States—despite the country’s open military conflict with Tehran—and play their group‑stage matches in Los Angeles and Seattle, not all delegation members were granted visas.

The dispute surfaced just days before the 2026 World Cup begins on Thursday. The tournament is being jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.

“In accordance with FIFA’s programme, the team delegation will travel to the United States on a charter flight,” Iranian federation spokesperson Amir Mehdi Alavi said in a statement carried by ISNA.

“The team will travel to the host city one day before the match against New Zealand, and for the following two matches, we will be at the host venue two days before the game,” he added.

Iran’s participation has been hampered by visa problems that Tehran says have prevented some 15 administrative and management staff in its delegation from entering the United States.

Rising tensions also led Iran to move its World Cup training base from Tucson, Arizona, to the Mexican border city of Tijuana, as originally planned.

Iran opens its campaign against New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15, then faces Belgium in the same city on June 21, and Egypt in Seattle on June 26.

AFP

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