According to Iranian media, Iran’s national football team was on its way to Turkey on Monday for a final friendly match and to apply for visas to travel to the US for the 2026 World Cup.
Despite co-host Washington starting a war against Iran on February 28 with a large wave of attacks alongside Israel, the squad still intends to compete in the event.
A ceasefire has put the combat on hold for weeks, but peace negotiations have not produced results, and additional drone attacks against Gulf nations over the weekend, together with threats from US President Donald Trump, have raised concerns about a return to hostilities.
According to the Tasnim news agency, the squad “left this morning for Antalya, Turkey to play its final friendly match before flying to the United States for the 2026 World Cup.”
It stated that 22 domestic players and their coaching staff made up the team.
Amir Ghalenoei, the head coach, announced on Saturday that they will also be finishing up US visa applications while in Turkey.
“Let ’em play”: Iran qualified for the
Iranian proposals to transfer their games to co-hosts Mexico or Canada have been rebuffed by FIFA, the tournament’s organizer, while US authorities have reiterated that Iran is welcome at the competition.
In late April, Trump declared, “I think let ’em play.”
According to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, any issue would not be with Iranian players but rather “some of the other people (they) would want to bring with them,” implying that they might be connected to the Revolutionary Guards, an organization that Washington has designated as terrorist.
World Cup in March 2025, but the US has attacked the nation twice since.
Iranian football federation officials called off their travel to the FIFA convention in Canada last month, claiming that Canadian immigration officials had “insulted” them.
Mehdi Taj, one of their delegates, was formerly a member of the Revolutionary Guards, which Canada has also classified as a terrorist organization.
The Iranian football squad intends to visit Antalya for two friendlies.
According to Sam Mehdizadeh, an Iranian-Canadian who runs a business that arranges the team’s friendlies, they have already confirmed one game, against The Gambia on May 29.
Taj, the chairman of Iran’s football organization, informed Iranian media on Thursday that no visas had yet been granted.
Both Taj and FIFA secretary general Mattias Grafstrom described Saturday’s meeting with the federation in Turkey as productive.
Iran will establish its base camp in Tucson, Arizona, after the team arrives in the United States.
On June 15, the team, which is in Group G, will begin their campaign against New Zealand in Los Angeles. They will subsequently play Belgium in the same city and Egypt in Seattle.
AFP
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