Iran squad set to depart for Mexico on June 6 amid US visa uncertainty

Iran’s national football team is set to depart Antalya for Tijuana at 15:20 (1220 GMT) on Saturday, June 6, to open its World Cup base camp in Mexico despite unresolved United States visa questions less than two weeks before kickoff on June 11. The squad will travel via Spain and is scheduled to arrive in Mexico at 1:30 am (0730 GMT) on Sunday, June 7, team officials said. Iran will be based in Mexico during the tournament, which is being co-hosted by the US, Mexico and Canada.

While the team will train in Mexico, all three of Iran’s Group G matches are scheduled in the US: New Zealand and Belgium in Los Angeles on June 15 and June 21, followed by Egypt in Seattle on June 26. The federation has not confirmed whether visas for Mexico and the US have been issued.

Federation president Mehdi Taj said earlier this week that the players were expected to receive their Mexico visas by midweek, with US visas to follow quickly. As of Saturday’s travel, officials have not publicly detailed the visa status for the full delegation.

US visa stance and IRGC ties

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told lawmakers on Tuesday that Washington would not allow individuals with ties to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to embed with the World Cup delegation and said the US would monitor the composition of Iran’s traveling party closely.

The remarks followed an April episode in Canada in which an Iranian football federation delegation, including Taj, turned back at Toronto’s Pearson airport and missed a pre-World Cup FIFA meeting in Vancouver after reporting problems at immigration. Canada designated the IRGC a terrorist organization in 2024, and government statements indicated Taj was denied entry due to alleged ties to the IRGC.

In the wake of the Canada incident, Iran’s federation sought reassurances from FIFA regarding the treatment of its officials and staff during the tournament and the smooth movement of its delegation across borders.

Travel plans, friendlies and schedule

Team Melli has been training in Antalya since last month and has played three friendlies across two camps, losing to Nigeria and beating Costa Rica and The Gambia, officials said. The team will play its final warm-up against Mali behind closed doors in Turkiye on Thursday, with the federation citing tactical objectives for the media blackout.

The World Cup runs from June 11 to July 19, leaving a narrow window for travel, acclimatisation and final preparations before Iran’s opener against New Zealand on June 15 in Los Angeles. The second group match against Belgium is set for June 21 at the same venue, before a cross-country trip to Seattle to face Egypt on June 26.

Officials have said the base in Mexico will support the team’s training needs ahead of transits to the US for matchdays. The itinerary and visa processing in the coming days will determine whether the full delegation can travel as planned.