Iran cleared for US entry a day before World Cup matches as fan visa row grows

Iran cleared to travel a day before each World Cup match

The US will allow Team Melli to enter American territory one day before each 2026 World Cup group-stage match, resolving weeks of uncertainty over whether the squad would even be allowed into the country. The team can also stay overnight after games before departing (2) (3).

The decision applies not only to Iran but to New Zealand, Belgium, and Egypt as well, all of whom faced similar logistical headaches.

Fans still in limbo as visa row escalates

While the players now have clarity, Iranian supporters may not be so lucky. Iran has formally accused the United States of revoking visas that had already been issued to fans planning to travel for the tournament (1).

The Iran Football Federation has not disclosed how many fans are affected, but the accusation lands at a sensitive moment, just days before the tournament kicks off.

Broader border chaos hits multiple teams

Iran is far from alone. Senegal, Uzbekistan, and the Netherlands have all encountered visa and border complications ahead of the tournament. Amnesty International Netherlands director Dagmar Oudshoorn called the pattern "clearly discriminatory" and warned: "That there are already abuses does not reassure about the rest of the World Cup" (4).

The accumulation of incidents has prompted fresh scrutiny of how the US is handling entry for teams and fans from nations it views with political suspicion.

Iran slams World Cup planning integrity

The Iran Football Federation has voiced outright fury over what it calls a lack of integrity in World Cup 2026 planning, following yet another withdrawal of an allocation linked to the team's participation (5).

The federation has not specified the nature of the latest withdrawal, but it adds to a growing list of grievances that began when Iran was forced to relocate its pre-tournament camp from Tucson, Arizona, to Tijuana, Mexico, under heavy US pressure.

Fan-reaktioner

Iranian supporters online are directing much of their frustration at FIFA rather than solely at the US, questioning why the governing body awarded hosting rights to a country that appears to be making participation conditional on geopolitics. Several threads point to the irony of a global tournament being staged in a nation that cannot guarantee entry for all qualified teams and their fans. See more on r/worldcup