Iran’s participation in the 2026 World Cup continues to be hampered by logistical and immigration complications. The Iranian Football Federation (FFI) reported that captain Mehdi Torabi will have to renew his U.S. visa after the document he used to enter the country expired following a single entry.
As the federation explained in an official statement, the visa granted to the soccer player allowed him to enter U.S. territory only once. That authorization was already used for the Iranian national team’s match against New Zealand, so it will now be necessary to apply for a new visa so that he can participate in the team’s upcoming matches. The situation is particularly significant because Iran is scheduled to face Belgium on June 21 in Los Angeles, one of the most important matches of the group stage.
The Federation has already begun the process
The FFI stated that it is already working to resolve the player’s immigration issue as soon as possible.
According to the agency, the rest of the national team members have multiple-entry visas.
This allows them to cross the U.S. border without any additional restrictions.
However, Torabi’s case is different because of the type of immigration authorization he received.
The federation expressed confidence that the process can be completed before the next World Cup match (Filed under: Iran’s 2026 World Cup Bid Faces Immigration Issue).
More difficulties for the Iranian delegation
The problems were not limited to the captain’s case.
The federation itself reported that soccer players Mehdi Taremi and Saeed Al-Hawie were temporarily detained at the Los Angeles airport.
This happened just as the delegation was preparing to travel to Tijuana, the Mexican city where Iran had set up its headquarters during the World Cup.
According to information provided by Iranian sports authorities, immigration procedures delayed the flight’s departure.
Meanwhile, the rest of the delegation was already ready to board (Filed under: Iran’s 2026 World Cup Faces Immigration Issue).
A new visa will need to be processed
QuéOnnda.com
Tijuana, a Strategic Base for Iran
Iran decided to set up camp in Tijuana during the tournament because of its proximity to the United States.
The border city allows the national team to travel to its game venues while remaining in training camp outside U.S. territory.
The Iranian Football Federation claims it has faced various administrative and diplomatic obstacles during the 2026 World Cup.
Among them, he claims that several members of the coaching staff, executives, and members of the delegation were denied entry into the United States.
The organization also stated before the start of the tournament that there were problems related to tickets allocated to Iranian fans.
For more information, visit NuevaOnda.com