top
Iran's World Cup team lands in Mexico amid US visa row
Key takeaways
- All three of Iran's group games are in the US, but the players and support staff have been told they have to fly in and out of the country on match day.
- Iran says 15 other officials and support staff have been denied visas altogether, which an official has described as political interference in sport in its worst form.
- This will be the first iteration of the World Cup to see a host nation receive the team of a country it is at war with.
Why this matters: a developing story that could shape the day's news cycle.
Tom Mc Arthur AFP via Getty Images Iran players Omid Norafkan and Saman Ghoddos celebrate after a qualifying match in 2025Iran's Fifa World Cup 2026 football team have landed in Mexico amid an ongoing row over visas and access to the stadiums in the US where they are to play.
All three of Iran's group games are in the US, but the players and support staff have been told they have to fly in and out of the country on match day.
Iran says 15 other officials and support staff have been denied visas altogether, which an official has described as political interference in sport in its worst form.
Article preview — originally published by BBC News. Full story at the source.
Read full story on BBC News →
More top stories
Also covered by
ARY News
Iran FIFA World Cup 2026 team heads to Mexico as US visa row rages
Investing.com
Soccer-Iran’s World Cup team arrive in Tijuana with US tensions high
Bloomberg Markets
FIFA World Cup Set to Be Most Lucrative Cup Amid US Hosting Concerns
Dawn News
World Cup fever muted in Iran under shadow of war, hardship
Aggregated and edited by the Scoop newsroom. We surface news from BBC News alongside other reporting so you can compare coverage in one place.
Editorial policy · Corrections · About Scoop