Iran’s football team will leave for Spain this weekend on their way to their World Cup base in Mexico, despite still awaiting visas for both countries.
Football federation chief Mehdi Taj said on Monday that the squad would depart on Saturday and fly directly to Tijuana in Mexico from Spain. He added that Mexican visas were expected by Tuesday or Wednesday, and that US visas for the group-stage matches in Los Angeles and Seattle would follow quickly.
Iran have been drawn in Group G for the 2026 World Cup, which is jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Team Melli will face New Zealand and Belgium in Los Angeles on June 15 and 21, before playing Egypt in Seattle on June 26.
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Taj said the Middle East war that broke out on February 28 disrupted the team’s preparations. Warm-up matches, including one against Spain, were cancelled, and the team moved its base from Tucson, Arizona, to Tijuana due to security concerns.
Iran are currently training in Turkey. They beat Gambia 3-1 in a friendly in Antalya on Friday and will play Mali on Thursday. Taj also noted that financial difficulties caused by the economic crisis and the fall of the rial had added to the challenges of preparing for the tournament.
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