Iran’s 2026 World Cup participation thrown into doubt as US delay visas

Iran’s participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup has been plunged into uncertainty just weeks before the tournament begins, with serious concerns emerging over unresolved visa issues involving the United States.

According to reports, Iranian Football Federation president Mehdi Taj revealed on Thursday that not a single member of the national team has yet received a US visa ahead of the competition, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The alarming development comes only 28 days before the start of the tournament and has sparked growing anxiety within Iranian football circles.

The situation is being complicated by the longstanding diplomatic tensions between Iran and United States, with no formal diplomatic relations existing between the two nations since 1980. Rising geopolitical instability in the Middle East has reportedly added further uncertainty to the process.

Mehdi Taj confirmed that a decisive meeting with FIFA is expected to take place in the coming days, during which the Iranian federation plans to demand urgent guarantees regarding the visa situation.

Despite earlier reassurances from FIFA president Gianni Infantino that Iran would be able to play its scheduled matches in the United States without disruption, there has reportedly been little concrete progress toward securing the required travel documentation.

The Iranian squad is currently expected to travel to Ankara next Monday, where players and staff will reportedly undergo fingerprinting procedures while beginning preparations for their pre-World Cup training camp.

The uncertainty now raises major questions over logistics, travel planning and tournament preparations for one of Asia’s strongest national teams.

Iran had successfully qualified for the 2026 World Cup and was expected to arrive at the tournament with ambitions of progressing beyond the group stage. However, the unresolved visa issue threatens to overshadow their sporting preparations and could potentially create one of the biggest administrative controversies ahead of the competition.

With time rapidly running out, pressure is mounting on FIFA and the relevant authorities to find a diplomatic and administrative solution that ensures the Iranian national team can participate fully in the world’s biggest football tournament.