World Cup The 2026 World Cup began for Iran long before the opening whistle. Amid diplomatic tensions, visa issues, changes in plans, and a military conflict with the United States, the Iranian national team’s presence in the tournament was shrouded in uncertainty until the last days. The situation has taken on unprecedented contours in the history of the World Cups. For the first time, a national team is participating in an event organized by a country with which it had, until recently, an active military confrontation. For months, Washington and Tehran were involved in a conflict that only ended after the announcement of a peace agreement mediated by Pakistan and confirmed by Donald Trump. It was precisely after this understanding that the Iranian national team was finally able to land on American soil to compete in the group stage matches. Before that, the scenario was quite different. Due to difficulties entering the United States, Iran was based in Mexico, a decision coordinated between FIFA and Mexican authorities. The team conducted its preparations in Tijuana, after abandoning the initial plan to train in Tucson, Arizona. As a result, Iran will have to travel thousands of kilometers between Mexico and the United States for each World Cup match. The problems did not stop there. Several members of the Iranian delegation had their visa applications denied by U.S. authorities. Some cases were later reversed, including key members of the coaching staff, but not everyone received authorization to enter the country. In the meantime, the Iranian preparation was also marked by an unusual and disturbing incident. Days before the trip to the United States, a corpse was found near the Estadio Caliente, used by the Iranian national team for their World Cup training sessions. Local authorities immediately launched an investigation to determine the circumstances of the death, with no connection established to the team’s training camp. Fans were also affected. Iran is on the list of countries subject to severe entry restrictions in the United States, and many supporters were unable to travel to support the team. Additionally, the Iranian Federation reported the cancellation of ticket batches that were intended for their fans. Forward Mehdi Taremi, a former player for FC Porto and Rio Ave, even expressed the discomfort felt by the team. “I have participated in three World Cups, and it is often said that as soon as you step off the plane and enter the host country, you feel a unique atmosphere of friendship and global unity,” he stated. “Unfortunately, I am not feeling that at this moment. There is a lot of tension in this World Cup. You can feel it in the atmosphere, and unfortunately, that is due to situations like these [visa denials]. Maybe it’s just my feeling.” Despite all the obstacles, Iran is finally in the United States and ready to begin its World Cup campaign.
Read more in football news. and related tags: Visa Denials, Base Changes.