Ankara: Iran's national football team players have received Mexican visas ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, state broadcaster IRIB reported Wednesday.
According to Anadolu Agency, the Iranian ambassador to Trkiye, Mohammad Hassan Habibollahzadeh, mentioned that the visas were issued following discussions with the Mexican Embassy in Ankara. 'The visas for Iran's national team players were issued within 48 hours without the players having to appear in person and without fingerprinting requirements at the Mexican Embassy,' said Habibollahzadeh.
Iran Football Federation President Mehdi Taj stated that the only unresolved issue facing the team ahead of the tournament is the issuance of US visas. 'The main obstacle is the US visa. We do not know what stage the process is currently at. There are no other obstacles, and both we and FIFA are following up on the matter,' Taj told Iran state television.
Taj also revealed that Mexican authorities had agreed to issue visas for the team without requiring fingerprinting. However, he noted that only two members of the delegation were still awaiting their visas, which he expected to be issued within hours. Additionally, Taj mentioned that the federation was working on arranging air travel between the team's base in Mexico and Los Angeles during the World Cup. 'The distance to Los Angeles is three hours and 20 minutes by road, but it would take only 45 minutes by air. We are working on this issue, and our agreement with FIFA is important,' he said.
The news follows a statement from a senior Iranian football official, who anticipated the visas to be issued by late Tuesday or early Wednesday. 'We expect the visas for Iran's national team players to be issued tonight or tomorrow morning,' Amir Mehdi Alavi, spokesperson for the Iranian Football Federation, told state media on Tuesday.
The national team delegation is scheduled to depart for the Mexican city of Tijuana on June 6, according to Alavi. The visa issue had emerged as one of the main concerns for Iran ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico from June 11 to July 19.
Iran recently shifted its pre-World Cup training camp from the US to Mexico, where the team is expected to stay before traveling to its tournament matches. The team has been holding a training camp in the Turkish resort city of Antalya since May 19 as part of its preparations for the tournament.