The federation said 14 administrative and managerial officials were refused entry visas ahead of Iran’s opening matches at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in California and Washington state. Those denied visas include federation vice president Mehdi Mohammad Nabi and secretary-general Hedayat Mombeini, according to the Iranian body.

It was not immediately clear whether federation president Mehdi Taj had received travel authorization.

The dispute comes as tensions between the United States and Iran remain elevated following months of military confrontation and diplomatic friction. The deteriorating security environment has already forced adjustments to Iran’s World Cup preparations.

Iran’s national team relocated its training base from Tucson, Arizona, to Tijuana, Mexico, citing the evolving political and security situation. The squad has been preparing in Antalya, Turkiye, and departed for Mexico after receiving visas from Mexican authorities.

In a statement, the Iran Football Federation said the visa refusals undermined sporting fairness and denied the team equal treatment during the tournament.

The federation argued that preventing senior officials from accompanying the national team compromised the principle of non-discrimination that international sporting events are expected to uphold.

The U.S. administration has defended its screening process. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said earlier this week that American authorities would carefully examine members of Iran’s delegation to ensure that individuals with no direct sporting role were not included.

“We have no problem with the athletes or their support staff,” Rubio said. He added that Washington would closely scrutinize any individuals suspected of having links to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a powerful Iranian military organization that the United States designates as a foreign terrorist entity.

Rubio said authorities would continue monitoring the composition of the delegation to prevent entry by individuals deemed unrelated to football activities.

Iran is scheduled to begin its World Cup campaign against New Zealand on June 15 in Inglewood, California, before facing Belgium on June 21 at the same venue. The team will conclude its group-stage matches in Seattle on June 26.

The possibility remains that Iran and the United States could meet on the field during the knockout stages. Tournament projections indicate the two teams could face each other in Arlington, Texas, on July 3 if both finish second in their respective groups.

The visa dispute adds another layer of political sensitivity to a tournament already unfolding against the backdrop of heightened geopolitical tensions between the two countries, with sport once again intersecting with broader diplomatic and security concerns.

Iran will be headquartered in the border city of Tijuana during the tournament while continuing to play its group-stage matches in the United States, according to FIFA’s official list of team base camps.

Speaking at a news conference, Sheinbaum said FIFA representatives informed Mexican authorities that the United States preferred not to host the Iranian squad outside of match days, prompting discussions about alternative arrangements.

“The United States doesn’t want the Iranian national team to stay overnight in the United States,” Sheinbaum said, adding that Mexico agreed to host the team without objection when approached by FIFA.
The decision comes amid heightened tensions involving Iran following the conflict that began on Feb. 28 between Iran, Israel and the United States. Security concerns and the broader diplomatic environment had fueled uncertainty for months regarding Iran’s logistical arrangements for the tournament.

Iran’s football federation announced over the weekend that the team would relocate its base from Tucson, Arizona, to Tijuana after receiving FIFA approval. The governing body formally confirmed the change when it released the final list of training bases for all 48 participating teams.

Iran is scheduled to open its World Cup campaign against New Zealand national football team in Inglewood, California, on June 15 before facing Belgium national football team on June 21 and Egypt national football team in Seattle on June 26.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup, which runs from June 11 through July 19, will be jointly hosted by United States, Canada and Mexico, marking the first tournament to be staged across three countries.

Base camps serve as teams’ operational headquarters throughout the competition, providing facilities for training, recovery and preparation between matches.
Questions surrounding Iran’s accommodation plans intensified as diplomatic tensions escalated and U.S. sanctions against Tehran complicated logistical considerations.

While the U.S. State Department said on Monday that President Donald Trump had made clear that Iran’s national team was welcome to participate in the tournament, it did not comment on where the squad would be based.

The State Department also did not address Sheinbaum’s remarks regarding U.S. preferences for the team’s off-field presence.

Sheinbaum said Mexican authorities were continuing to coordinate with FIFA on operational details ahead of the tournament, which is expected to be the largest World Cup in history following the expansion to 48 teams.

The arrangement underscores how international sporting events can be affected by broader geopolitical developments, even as organizers seek to ensure all qualified teams can participate in the competition.