With only 28 days left until the start of the 2026 World Cup, a serious problem has emerged surrounding the Iran national team. Reports suggest the team's participation in the tournament could be at risk due to issues regarding US visas.
According to RMC Sport, Mehdi Taj, president of the Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran, has expressed serious concern that none of the national team members have received their US visas yet. This is a major issue for the World Cup preparation process, as time is running out.
The situation is further complicated by geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. Furthermore, Tehran and Washington have had no diplomatic relations since 1980. As a result, this sports issue is becoming intertwined with political and diplomatic factors.
The head of the Iranian Football Federation announced that a decisive meeting with FIFA will be held in the coming days. The main issue will be to demand clear guarantees for obtaining visas for players, coaching staff, and delegation members on time.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has stated that the Iran national team will play its matches in the US according to the schedule. However, it is reported that there has been no practical progress in the processing of necessary documents so far, which has further increased concerns on the Iranian side.
It is expected that on May 18, the Iran national team will travel to Ankara to provide fingerprints and begin their pre-tournament training camp. However, if delays in the visa process continue, the team's participation in the World Cup could truly be in serious doubt.
Naturally, such a situation also affects the mental state of the players before a major tournament. Preparation for the World Cup should focus on the pitch, tactics, and opponents, while document and visa issues may put the team under unnecessary pressure.
In short, the Iran national team is in a very delicate situation close to the start of the World Cup. If FIFA and the responsible parties do not find a quick solution, this issue may go beyond sports and become a major international problem. The players are currently waiting for one thing: for the visa problem to be resolved so that their World Cup dream does not fall victim to red tape.
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