By Mekonnen Almaw
eing hosted by three countries for the first time in history, has already become a subject of much discussion. The United States, a key host among the three, is making its own unilateral decisions. It is reported that the U.S. is imposing severe restrictions on Iran, a country with which it is in a political standoff and an open state of hostility.
The United States, which had been stalling on issuing entry visas for the Iranian national team, ultimately granted permission for the team to participate after much pressure; however, it has stripped them of many of their rights.
"As a historical enemy, I will not allow Iran to use the World Cup as an excuse to bring in terrorists," the U.S. stated, enforcing a ban that prevents Iranian national team members from staying overnight on American soil. Although Iran is scheduled to play all its group stage matches in the United States, the visa granted by the U.S. prohibits overnight stays. Consequently, the team must travel to the U.S. on the day of the match and depart immediately after the game concludes.
The Iranian delegation, which arrived in Mexico to participate in the 2026 World Cup, has expressed deep frustration over the delays in U.S. visas and the outright denial of entry to several delegation members. The team completed its preparations in Turkey and arrived in the city of Tijuana, near the Mexican border, last Sunday. The Iranian Football Federation has condemned the U.S. decision as "a severe political interference in sports."
Beyond the visa delays, 15 members of the national team, including the Federation President, have been denied visas. Head coach Amir Ghalenoei and team captain Ehsan Hajsafi stated that the visa delays have disrupted their scheduled training sessions and have called for FIFA to hold the United States accountable.
Amidst these developments, new information released today indicates that the U.S. has imposed further restrictions on Iran. It has been reported that the stadium entry tickets allocated to Iranian national team supporters have been abruptly canceled. No official reason has been given for the cancellation of these tickets.
In a statement, the Iranian Football Federation protested the denial of the ticket quota that the team is entitled to. They condemned the decision as "violating the principles of competitive equality among participating countries." The Federation also urged FIFA to uphold its principles of neutrality and fairness, as well as the institution's own regulations.
As a result, Iranian national team supporters will not be present at the World Cup to cheer for their team. Iran, for its part, is demanding that its rights be respected just like any other participating nation, but has yet to receive a proper response from either FIFA or the United States.
We will continue to follow these developments and keep you updated.
