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Iran national team granted visas to enter United States ahead of World Cup
The Iran national team is officially cleared to play in the 2026 World Cup after receiving visas to enter the United States. A White House official told multiple outlets on Friday that members of the team have been granted visas, just ten days before Iran's group stage matches in the U.S.
Mehdi Taj, the head of Iran's football federation, said Friday morning that the Iranian players had submitted their passports to the U.S. embassy in Ankara, Türkiye, to complete the visa process, via Al Jazeera. The visas were granted overnight, per Reuters.
Tom Barrack, the U.S. ambassador to Türkiye, seemingly confirmed the approval in a post on X, noting the embassy's role in processing the visas.
Link to tweet
The visa delay comes amid the ongoing war between the U.S. and Iran, which began in late February. The Iranian team, which qualified for the tournament in 2025, has not wavered at playing in the tournament despite pressure from the White House.
https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/article/iran-national-team-granted-visas-to-enter-united-states-ahead-of-world-cup-232545991.html