Football and politics are clashing again — Iran says its players can head to the World Cup, but the people who keep the team ticking have been stopped at the border.

According to cbinews.tv, it’s all kicking off before a ball’s even been kicked. Iran has accused the US of blocking visas for “integral” members of its World Cup backroom staff, just hours after Washington said the players themselves had been given the green light to travel.

US officials confirmed on Friday that visas were issued to every Iranian player and “necessary support staff” — with Iran’s opening match in Los Angeles set for 15 June. But they were quick to add that Iran wouldn’t be allowed to “abuse this system to sneak terrorists into the United States under false pretences”.

Iran’s embassy in Turkey isn’t having any of it. They’ve slammed what they call “politically biased interference in sport”, claiming a “large portion of the managerial and executive staff” and “technical advisers” have been denied entry.

Iranian state-linked media reports that 15 officials were blocked, including the head of the football federation, his deputy, and a media director.

The squad left their training base in Turkey on Saturday, heading for Mexico where they’ll be based for the tournament. After a mammoth 20-hour flight, they’re due to touch down in the early hours of Sunday.

Here’s the catch, though. Under their visa conditions, the team must fly into the US and out again on the same day as their matches, Iran’s ambassador to Mexico said on Saturday.

Tehran has branded the US announcement a “whitewash”. In a strongly worded statement, it said: “You have now escalated the deliberate and discriminatory treatment against Iran’s national football team to its highest level.”

Iranian embassy officials are now calling on FIFA to step in.

This is a World Cup with a difference. The 2026 tournament — hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico — starts on 11 June. Iran booked their spot back in March 2025, topping their qualification group almost a year before war broke out. It’ll be the first time a host nation welcomes a team from a country it’s actively at war with.

Iran actually moved its training base to Mexico from Tucson, Arizona, in late May.

The US Department of Homeland Security hasn’t spelled out whether restrictions will apply to the Iranian delegation during the tournament. But they told the BBC they’re “steadfast in our commitment to the safety and security of the American people and attendees of the 2026 FIFA World Cup” and are “intricately involved” in securing the 11 host cities, including Los Angeles.

Earlier this week, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told lawmakers that Iran’s football delegation wouldn’t include anyone linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guards — a powerful branch of Iran’s armed forces. Several players in the squad have done mandatory military service with the group.

Iran are set to face Belgium in California and Egypt in Seattle for their other two group games.

Source: cbinews.tv

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