White House Confirms Iranian Players Received U.S. Entry Visas

The controversy surrounding Iran's participation in the 2026 World Cup has ended after a White House official confirmed that the Iranian national team players have received their visas to enter the United States, less than two weeks before their first match in the tournament.

The American confirmation came days after reports about delays in issuing visas, which prompted the Iranian federation to move the team's residence from the U.S. state of Arizona to the Mexican city of Tijuana in anticipation of any potential complications.

According to Reuters, the Iranian team will arrive in Tijuana in the coming days before heading to the United States to play its group stage matches, starting with a match against New Zealand on June 15, followed by games against Belgium and Egypt.

Iran's participation had been shrouded in much ambiguity in recent weeks due to political tensions between Washington and Tehran, in addition to discussions about potential restrictions on some members of the delegation previously linked to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.

Granting visas represents a significant boost for the Iranian national team, which is preparing for its seventh participation in the history of the World Cup, after growing concerns about the potential impact on its preparations or even its participation in the tournament.

Thus, one of the most controversial issues was closed before the start of the World Cup, allowing the Iranian national team to be ready to travel and participate normally in the 2026 World Cup competitions.