Iran’s men’s national soccer squad trains in Antalya, Turkey, while still chasing U.S. visas for the World Cup. The team lives in luxury resorts, sipping tea and sharing jokes, but behind the scenes the war that began in February has stalled travel approvals. FIFA insists participation is secure, yet no visa has arrived.

In late May, Iranian officials petitioned FIFA for clarity on visa processing after a letter reached the organization. Meanwhile, head of the federation Mehdi Taj was barred from Canada, and his past ties to the Revolutionary Guards triggered U.S. security concerns. The Mexican president said FIFA must help because U.S. officials refuse overnight stays.

The team’s relocation from Tucson, Arizona, to Tijuana, Mexico, aimed to sidestep U.S. entry hurdles, but Mexican officials noted that the U.S. does not want Iranian players overnight. Iranian ambassador Abolfazl Pasandideh criticized Washington, declaring the war had disrupted preparations and that the squad could not compete on equal terms.

With less than two weeks to the tournament, FIFA’s president Gianni Infantino has publicly backed Iran’s participation, yet no response has clarified visa status. Players like captain Mehdi Taremi remain in limbo, training under the shadow of geopolitical tension that threatens to derail a nation’s first World Cup appearance in a host country at war.