Iran's national football team has received visas to enter the United States ahead of the World Cup starting next week, US officials confirmed, UNN reports citing the BBC.
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The approval comes just 10 days before the team's first match against New Zealand, which is scheduled to take place in Los Angeles on June 15.
"The visas required for Iran to participate in the World Cup, including visas for athletes and necessary support staff, have been issued," officials stated.
They added that the US would not allow the Iranian team to "abuse this system to illegally bring terrorists into the United States under false pretenses."
The Iranian Football Federation has not yet publicly commented on the visa approval.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is set to begin on June 11 and will be hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
This will be the first stage of the competition where a host country welcomes a team from a country with which it is in a state of conflict.
In late May, Iran moved its training base from Tucson, Arizona, to Mexico, which Mehdi Taj, president of the Football Federation of Iran, said was due to visa issues.
Iran moved its 2026 World Cup base football camp from the USA to Mexico24.05.26, 03:57