Iran's WC team arrives in Mexico as US visa row rages

TIJUANA, JUNE 7: Iran's World Cup squad landed in Mexico on Sunday under the shadow of a bitter diplomatic row, after the United States which is in open military conflict with Tehran refused to issue visas for some team support staff.

The dispute erupted just days before Thursday's kickoff of the 2026 World Cup, which is being jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada. After departing from their training camp in Turkey a day earlier, the Iran team landed early Sunday in the Mexican border city of Tijuana, AFP witnessed.

The team will be based in the city throughout the tournament, despite playing their entire group stage in the United States.
When they do play in the US, it will be the first World Cup to see a host nation receive the team of a country it is at war with.

Iran's team spent nearly three weeks at a training camp in Antalya, using their time in Turkey to apply for visas to travel to Mexico, Canada and the United States. But Iran's embassy to Turkey said support staff had been denied visas -- 15 administrative and management staff are concerned, an Iranian diplomat and state TV said.    �"AFP