Iran's football team granted US visas for World Cup despite Middle East tensions

Iran’s national football squad has been issued US visas to compete in the 2026 World Cup, confirmed by US Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack and a State Department official. The visas allow the team to enter the United States for matches despite ongoing tensions from the US-Israeli attacks on Iran that began February 28. The team will fly from Turkey to Spain on Saturday, then to Mexico for base camp, with all three group stage games in the US: vs New Zealand on June 16 in Los Angeles, Belgium also in LA, and Egypt in Seattle. A US official warned the visas won’t be abused to sneak terrorists into the country. This development shows sports diplomacy continuing amid regional conflict, with Iran’s participation signaling a rare channel of engagement between the two nations.

SOURCE: https://www.channelstv.com/2026/06/06/iranian-footballers-granted-visas-for-world-cup/