The head of Iran's Football Federation, Mehdi Taj, announced on Friday that the national team has submitted their passports to the US embassy in Ankara, Turkey, to obtain visas for the upcoming World Cup. The squad's participation in the tournament remains uncertain due to ongoing tensions between Iran and the United States.
FIFA's Instructions
Taj stated that the move follows directives from FIFA, world football's governing body. 'Yesterday, I had discussions with FIFA regarding the US visas,' he said. 'We were told to submit all passports to the US embassy in Ankara.'
Travel Plans
The Iranian team is scheduled to fly from Turkey to Spain on Saturday before proceeding to their base camp in Mexico. Mexico has already issued visas to the squad. 'We are waiting to see what happens today or, at the latest, tomorrow, because our national team needs to receive these passports and travel with them to Tijuana,' Taj added.
Potential Consequences
Taj revealed that the federation had raised concerns with FIFA, warning that if visas are not issued for players, technical staff, and delegation members, alternative decisions may be made. However, he expressed optimism: 'My assessment is that all visas will be issued in full, and there most likely will not be any problem in this regard.'
World Cup Schedule
Iran relocated their World Cup base from Tucson, Arizona, to Tijuana, Mexico. All three group matches are in the United States: against New Zealand on 15 June in Los Angeles, Belgium on 21 June in Los Angeles, and Egypt on 27 June in Seattle.
