[58935] US Visa Crisis Ahead of the World Cup: Iran and Iraq National Teams at Risk

Visa crisis on the way to the World Cup: The US is blocking key players from Iran and Iraq

Amid global political tensions, a heavy cloud of uncertainty hangs over the participation of the Iranian and Iraqi national teams in the 2026 World Cup tournament, against the backdrop of significant difficulties in issuing entry visas to the United States. According to a report by ورزش سه and خبرگزاری ایرنا, US authorities refused to grant a visa to five of the Iraqi national team's key players, including the star and scorer of the goal that qualified them for the World Cup. The Iraqi Football Association has turned to FIFA requesting intervention on the matter, fearing that the move will severely damage the team's chances in the competition.

At the same time, there is maximum alertness within the Iranian national team as well. As reported by ایران اینترنشنال ورزشی and آخرین خبر ورزشی, the Iranian coaching staff fears that a refusal to issue visas to players or staff members, due to their professional history or previous connections, will exacerbate the political isolation of the team. Iran's preparation plans have already suffered a heavy blow, as teams like Spain, Angola, and Macedonia canceled training matches against them due to the political situation.

آخرین خبر ورزشی noted that "it seems the United States, the host of the tournament, intends to harass teams that have qualified for the World Cup" as reported in canalevarzesh. Conversely, sources identified with the Iranian regime, such as خبرگزاری ایرنا, emphasized that Iran continues to maintain significant military and intelligence capabilities, while simultaneously promoting a policy of "dialogue and regional cooperation agreements" to try and neutralize the impact of US sanctions on sports and culture.

Meanwhile, coach Amir Ghalenoei is trying to prepare the team at a training camp in Turkey, while in the background, Iran's "readiness test" events are taking place, including displays at Inqilab Square in Tehran. However, the sports picture remains ambiguous, as the fate of many players, including the injured Milad Mohammadi, has not yet been decided ahead of the planned flight to the United States.