Iran’s World Cup run continues amid war and U.S. visa issues
Iran reached the World Cup while at war with the United States, then shifted camps from Arizona to Mexico and Turkey before a travel carve-out for Seattle.
Iran entered Friday’s match against Egypt carrying a contradiction unlike any previous World Cup: its team was competing while the country was at war with the tournament’s primary host nation. The Associated Press described that situation as unique in World Cup history, as Iran tried to stay alive in the group stage under an intensely political spotlight.
Iran secured its place in the 2026 World Cup on March 25, 2025, when Mehdi Taremi scored twice in a 2-2 draw with Uzbekistan in Tehran. Taremi now has nine goals in qualifying, and FIFA lists Iran’s World Cup record as seven appearances total, with campaigns in 1978, 1998, 2006, 2014, 2018, 2022 and 2026. FIFA also lists Iran’s best finish as the group stage. Coach Amir Ghalenoei named the 26-player squad on May 16, 2026, and Sardar Azmoun was a notable omission.
The buildup was shaped as much by logistics as by football. Iran spent more than two weeks in Turkey, mostly training in Antalya, after visa-processing problems forced the team to move its base from Tucson, Arizona, to Tijuana, Mexico. Saeid Ezatolahi and Mohammad Ghorbani said the war was affecting preparations and mental focus, while Ghalenoei said the team had been treated unfairly by U.S. travel restrictions.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security later eased those restrictions, allowing Iran to enter Seattle two days before the Egypt match instead of just one day before kickoff. The team still had to leave the country the same day the match ended, a condition that underscored how tightly security and diplomacy were being managed around the tournament.
Iran’s schedule has kept the politics close to the pitch. FIFA listed its first two matches in the Los Angeles area, against New Zealand on June 15 and Belgium on June 21, in a region with a large Iranian-American community. Ezatolahi said the team expected strong support there but also pressure, while the Seattle match landed during Pride weekend, adding another layer to the public debate over how Iran should be received during the World Cup.
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