Iran World Cup squad set to arrive in Mexico early Sunday after visa, travel concerns

ISTANBUL - Iran's World Cup squad will arrive early on Sunday in Mexico where they will be based for the duration of the global football tournament, a team statement said Wednesday.

"The Iran national football team will depart Antalya for Tijuana at 15.20 (1220 GMT) on Saturday, June 6 and is scheduled to arrive in Mexico at 1.30am (0730 GMT) on Sunday, June 7," it said.

The Iran players, who have been at a training camp in the southern Turkish resort of Antalya since May 18, are still waiting for their US visas.

The 2026 World Cup, which is being jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada, runs from June 11 to July 19.

Iran's Team Melli has been drawn in Group G and will play New Zealand and Belgium in Los Angeles on June 15 and 21, followed by a game against Egypt in Seattle on June 26.

The US military began bombing Iran alongside Israel on Feb 28, sparking war, although the hostilities were halted by an April 8 ceasefire.

The Iran players, who have been at a training camp in the southern Turkish resort of Antalya since May 18, are still waiting for their US visas.. Photo: Instagram/teammellifootball

On Monday evening, Iran's football federation chief Mehdi Taj said the players were expected to get their visas for Mexico either on Tuesday or Wednesday "and then a US visa will be issued quickly".

It was not immediately clear whether or not they had received them.

Taj also said the team would fly to Mexico via Spain.

Tensions over the war have complicated the US visa issue, with Taj saying on May 24 that Team Melli was shifting their World Cup base from Tucson in the US state of Arizona to the northwestern Mexican border city of Tijuana.

Ahead of their departure on Saturday, Iran will play a final friendly against Mali in Antalya on Thursday, after beating Gambia 3-1 on May 29. - AFP