The Trump administration denied entry visas to senior Iranian Football Federation officials ahead of the FIFA World Cup, forcing the Islamic Republic’s delegation to base its operations in Tijuana, Mexico, while its players compete inside the United States.
U.S. officials refused visas to Iranian Football Federation Secretary General Hedayat Mombeini and Vice President Mehdi Mohammad Nabi, according to the federation and reporting confirmed by multiple outlets. It remained unclear whether federation President Mehdi Taj had received a visa. All 30 players on Iran’s squad and the entire coaching staff were granted entry.
The administration imposed an additional restriction requiring the Iranian delegation to depart U.S. soil the same day as each of Iran’s matches, prohibiting the team from spending any nights in the country. Iran cited safety concerns and agreed to stage its pre-match operations from Tijuana rather than inside the United States. The squad flew directly from Turkey to Mexico on Saturday.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio raised concerns about the visa process in April, warning against granting entry to members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Military service is mandatory for men in Iran, and some players on the squad had previously served in the IRGC.
The Iranian Football Federation denounced the restrictions as “vindictive behavior” and said the United States had denied the delegation “the opportunity for a level playing field and a competition free from discrimination.” The U.S. Embassy in Ankara, which processed the team’s player visas, was praised on social media by U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack, who called the World Cup an opportunity to “welcome competitors and fans from around the world.” The Iranian embassy in Turkey responded by accusing the U.S. of “deliberate and discriminatory treatment” and said the ambassador’s remarks amounted to an attempt to “whitewash conduct that violates FIFA regulations.”
The federation said it would file a formal grievance with FIFA. That effort may face difficult odds. FIFA President Gianni Infantino has maintained a close working relationship with President Trump throughout the lead-up to the tournament, awarding Trump the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize in December and rejecting Iran’s earlier requests to move its group-stage matches to Mexico or Canada.
Iran is scheduled to open World Cup play against New Zealand on June 15 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
