The Iranian ambassador to Mexico, Abu al-Fadl Basandida, announced on Saturday that Iranian national team players would not be allowed to enter the United States except on the day of their World Cup matches. Mexican media quoted Basandida as saying: “They can enter the United States in the morning, and on the same day they must leave.”








Speaking to journalists in Tijuana, the ambassador explained that 15 officials from the Iranian Football Federation have not yet obtained entry visas to the United States to attend the tournament, which begins Thursday.

According to Iranian media, the president of the Iranian Federation, Mehdi Taj, and the team’s logistics director, are among those who did not obtain an American visa.

In return, all members of the Iranian national team obtained visas to enter Mexico, which is hosting the 2026 World Cup in partnership with the United States and Canada, while all of Iran’s matches are held in the United States.

In May, the Iranian Federation announced the transfer of the national team’s training camp from the US state of Arizona to Tijuana in Mexico, south of San Diego in California.

Iran will play its first match against New Zealand on June 15 in Los Angeles, before facing Belgium on June 21 in the same city, then Egypt on June 26 in Seattle, Washington state.