Iran's World Cup 2026 squad landed in Tijuana, Mexico, on Sunday, June 7, to begin training ahead of the tournament. The team arrives amid a bitter diplomatic dispute between Tehran and Washington, just days before the kickoff of the World Cup on June 11, which is being jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
While the national team players received visas to enter the United States, the Iranian embassy to Turkey stated that 15 support staff members were denied theirs. As a result of these visa issues, the delegation will be based in Mexico and must fly into the United States and leave on the same day for all three of their group matches.
Iran coach Amir Ghalenoei expressed frustration upon arrival at Tijuana airport, stating that the team should have arrived a week earlier to adjust to the 12-hour time difference. He argued that ethical and human considerations should be respected in such tournaments, suggesting that these considerations were not met in their case.