Iran's FIFA World Cup 2026 squad have touched down in Tijuana, Mexico, as a deepening diplomatic dispute over US visas threatens to overshadow their preparations ahead of the tournament.

All three of Iran's group-stage fixtures are scheduled to take place on US soil, yet players and essential support staff have been restricted to travelling in and out of the country on match days only. A further 15 officials, including the football federation chief, his deputy, and a media director, have reportedly been denied US visas entirely.

An Iranian official described the situation as political interference in sport in its worst form, while Iran's embassy in Turkey accused the US of "politically biased interference in sport" by blocking a "large portion of the managerial and executive staff" and "technical advisers" from entering the country.

Training base relocated to Mexico

The squad had originally been based in Tucson, Arizona, but relocated their training camp to Tijuana in late May. They arrived in the Mexican border city in the early hours of Sunday morning local time.

US authorities confirmed that visas had been granted to all players and what they termed "necessary support staff" on Friday — ten days before Iran's opening match in Los Angeles on 15 June. However, Washington maintained that Iran would not be permitted to "abuse this system to sneak terrorists into the United States under false pretences."

Earlier in the week, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the Iranian delegation would not be allowed to include individuals with links to the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, a powerful branch of Iran's armed forces. Several players in the current squad have completed mandatory military service with the group.

Calls for Fifa to intervene

Iran's embassy in Turkey called on Fifa, football's world governing body, to step in and resolve the dispute. The row marks an extraordinary moment in World Cup history — this edition, co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, is the first to require a host nation to receive the team of a country it is actively at war with.

Iran secured their place at FIFA World Cup 2026 by finishing top of their qualification group in March 2025, almost a year before hostilities between the US and Iran escalated. Beyond their opener in Los Angeles, Iran are also scheduled to face Belgium in California and Egypt in Seattle to complete their group-stage campaign.