Iran win four staff visa appeals but 11 banned

Iran's World Cup squad relocated their training base to Mexico prior to the tournament

Published 13 June 2026

Four individuals from Iran's World Cup delegation have successfully appealed the denial of their visa applications for entry into the United States.

However, 11 members of the group will be unable to travel to the US when their team plays matches there.

Last week, Iran accused the US of refusing visas to "essential" members of its national football team's support staff.

This came after officials in Washington stated that Iranian players had been granted permission to enter the country for the tournament.

Iran had already moved their World Cup base to Mexico due to concerns arising from the country being in conflict with the United States.

Out of the 15 Iranian delegation members initially denied US visas, 10 submitted new applications after arriving in Mexico.

It has now been disclosed that four of those appeals were successful. Those who received visas include a member of the team's technical staff working as an analyst and two officials from the federation's international department.

The remaining six applicants were rejected once again. They include Iran Football Federation (FFIRI) president Mehdi Taj, one of the federation's vice-presidents, two team administrators responsible for daily operations, a media officer and a security officer.

A second media officer opted not to reapply for a visa after the initial rejection.

Iran will face New Zealand on 15 June in Los Angeles in their opening match of the tournament, which is co-hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States.

They will return to the same city to play Belgium on 21 June, before meeting Egypt in Seattle on 26 June.

The country's World Cup group-stage ticket allocation for supporters was revoked by US officials earlier this week, although Fifa has stated it is working to "maximise opportunities for Iranian supporters to attend matches".

The FFIRI had previously submitted a list of 10 conditions to Fifa for their participation in the World Cup, including allowing players, coaches and officials who have completed military service with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

US secretary of state Marco Rubio had said Iran's players would be welcome at the tournament, but individuals with ties to the IRGC could face entry restrictions.

Iran was not represented at a meeting of Fifa's annual congress in Vancouver in April after officials were turned away at the Canadian border, with Canadian officials citing the IRGC links of delegation members.

Fifa does not impose a limit on the size of a nation's World Cup delegation, although it will only cover costs for up to 50 individuals.

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The rejection of visas for the Iranian delegation members is not the only visa-related issue to emerge at the tournament.

Fans from certain nations have been denied entry, while Somali referee Omar Artan was refused entry to the United States to officiate at the World Cup.

Former Fifa president Sepp Blatter has criticised the organisation he led for 17 years over the visa problems, posting on social media: "A Fifa World Cup host country must guarantee two fundamental principles: the safety of the country - and the unrestricted entry of all qualified teams, officials and referees.

"The case of referee Omar Artan from Somalia is against one of these obligations. Fifa must never compromise the universality of football."

Blatter, 90, left the role following corruption allegations and was given a six-year ban from all football, though a criminal case later cleared him of the charges.