Iran says US must issue multiple-entry visas for its World Cup squad

Iran’s delegation for the World Cup must be issued multiple-entry visas for their fixtures in the United States, a top official of the Iranian football federation (FFIRI) said two days after FIFA confirmed the relocation of the team’s base camp from the US to Mexico.

FFIRI president Mehdi Taj said on Wednesday that he expects the US to issue visas for the World Cup squad and support staff for the tournament kicking off in three weeks.

“The US should give all players multiple-entry visas as they would have to leave and re-enter the US many times,” Taj told local reporters in Mashhad, northeastern Iran.

The Iranian squad has not been issued US visas yet.

Several members attended visa appointments in Turkiye, where they have been training, last week.

Players and staff who travelled to Turkiye from Iran applied for US visas, while those who had not applied for them before the start of the war on Iran in February also submitted their visa applications in person at the embassy.

Meanwhile, the whole squad applied for Canadian visas in case Iran proceeded to the knockouts allocated to venues in Canada.

The US and Israel launched attacks on Iran on February 28, leading to a regional conflict that has now lasted three months.

Despite a ceasefire in place, the US carried out strikes on Iranian military sites on Wednesday and, in return, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched an attack on an “American airbase” in the region.

Iran’s team will open their World Cup campaign on June 15 against New Zealand in Los Angeles, California, where they will face Belgium six days later. Iran’s last Group G game is against Egypt in Seattle, in Washington state, on June 21.

FIFA confirmed on Monday that Iran’s World Cup training base camp had been relocated from the US to Mexico upon the team’s request.

Iran had originally selected a sports complex in Tucson in the US state of Arizona as their national team’s base during the World Cup, but later sought a change.

When FIFA published the final list of team base camp locations this week, Iran were allocated Centro Xoloitzcuintle in Tijuana, Mexico, as their location of choice.

Tijuana’s location directly across the US-Mexico border from San Diego could help with visa issues when the team needs to enter the country, according to Taj.

He initially announced the camp’s move on Saturday, before FIFA made it official.

“All team base camps for the countries participating in the World Cup must be approved by FIFA,” Taj said in a statement.

“Fortunately, following the requests we submitted and the meetings we held with FIFA and World Cup officials in Istanbul, as well as the webinar meeting we had yesterday in Tehran with the respected FIFA ‌‌secretary general, our request to change the team’s base from the United States to Mexico was approved.”

The World Cup, cohosted by the US, Canada and Mexico, runs from June 11 through July 19.