Iranian players submit US, Canada visa applications for 2026 World Cup

Iran’s national football team attended appointments in the Turkish capital Ankara on May 21 ahead of the 2026 World Cup, with the entire squad applying for Canada, and some players also submitted applications for entry to the United States, an Iranian Football Federation official has stated.

The tournament will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, with Iran scheduled to play all of its group-stage matches in the US, Caliber.Az reports, citing Reuters.

Iran is set to face New Zealand on June 15 and Belgium on June 21 in Los Angeles before meeting Egypt in Seattle five days later. If they progress to the knockout stages, the team would also require access to Canada.

Some foreign-based Iranian players joined the squad in Ankara before travelling on to the team’s training camp in Antalya on Türkiye’s Mediterranean coast, the official added.

Iran is currently holding a pre-tournament camp in Türkiye after its domestic league was suspended following US and Israeli strikes on the country that began on 28 February, leaving many players short of match fitness.

The squad trained in Antalya earlier this week as head coach Amir Ghalenoei continues preparations after domestic-based players went several weeks without competitive football during the suspension.

Iran secured early qualification for the expanded 48-team tournament, but preparations have been complicated by uncertainty over travel and security arrangements following the recent conflict between Iran, the United States and Israel.

Iran’s football federation had previously said US visa applications for the team would be processed in Türkiye following discussions with FIFA.

The team is due to play Gambia in a friendly on 29 May, before Ghalenoei names his final 26-man World Cup squad ahead of FIFA’s 1 June deadline.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov