Iran has accused the United States of denying visas to several key members of their World Cup delegation, less than two weeks before the opening match of the FIFA World Cup 2026. The dispute has sparked new controversy around the tournament, with Iranian officials claiming that sanctions are preventing teams from operating under normal conditions.

The latest controversy comes just days after Iranian players were finally allowed to enter the United States after weeks of uncertainty over their participation in the tournament.

Just 10 days before the opening of the World Cup, Iran’s national team was approved to travel to the United States Their preparations threatened to be disrupted after a tense visa standoff. The team later changed their training plans, setting up camps in Antalya, Türkiye and Tijuana, Mexico, before traveling to California for the tournament.

FIFA World Cup 2026: full coverage

However, before Iran could fully get into World Cup mode, another controversy emerged.

Iran’s football federation and diplomatic officials have now alleged that several members of the team’s backroom staff, administrators and senior officials are living without visas despite the tournament starting next week.

Those reportedly still awaiting approval include Iranian Football Federation general secretary Hedayat Mombeni and vice president Mehdi Mohammad Nabi, who were named among 14 officials and support staff members who have not yet received visas, according to Iranian state television.

The federation has accused the United States of discriminatory behavior and said it intends to pursue the matter through FIFA.

Why were Iran World Cup staff not given US visas?

Controversy arose after US Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack praised embassy officials in Ankara for preparing visas for the Iran national team and facilitating their travel to the World Cup.

Barrack said embassy staff have worked to ensure that players and officials can participate in the tournament and looked forward to welcoming both the team and Iranian supporters to the United States.

Iran’s embassy in Ankara responded sharply to those claims.

In a statement posted on social media, the embassy accused the United States of attempting to “whitewash” actions that allegedly violate FIFA rules and host country obligations.

According to Iranian authorities, a number of managerial staff members, officials, technical advisors and administrative personnel deemed essential to the operation of the national team have been denied visas.

The Iranian Football Federation described the move as “retaliatory behavior” and claimed that the decision denied the team a level playing field ahead of the tournament.

Iranian officials further argued that political disputes were being allowed to interfere with the game and insisted that FIFA should intervene to ensure the entry of all accredited members of the participating delegations.

The United States has not publicly addressed the specific allegations.

However, according to reports, US officials have said that all the players have got visas and coaches, trainers and some support staff have also been cleared. One official reportedly suggested that some of the rejected applications may have included individuals seeking visas under “false pretenses”.

The dispute comes against a backdrop of broader tensions involving Iran and the United States, with national team preparations already hampered by logistical complexities associated with travel and training arrangements.

Neither FIFA nor US officials have issued any official public response regarding the status of the remaining visa applications.

Who will Iran play in the FIFA World Cup?

Despite the current uncertainty, Iran are expected to continue their preparations from their training base in Tijuana, Mexico, before flying to the United States for their matches.

The Asian team will begin its FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign against New Zealand on June 15 in Inglewood, California.

Iran will then remain in California to face Belgium on June 21 and then travel to Seattle for their final Group G match against Egypt on June 26.

The team is entering the tournament after mixed practice results. Iran recently beat Mali 2-0 and also recorded wins over Costa Rica and Gambia, although they suffered a defeat against Nigeria during their preparations.

With the World Cup now just days away, Iran will be hoping that the remaining visa issues will be resolved soon so that the focus can finally return to football rather than off-field complications.

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