Overview
- Iran's squad landed in Tijuana on Sunday and will be based there after relocating from Tucson to satisfy U.S. entry limits for its matches on U.S. soil.
- Tehran says roughly 15 managerial and executive staff, including federation leaders, were refused U.S. visas and called the denials political interference in sport.
- The U.S. Department of State maintains that visas needed for athletes and necessary support staff were issued and that officials excluded links to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
- Iran will be allowed same-day entry and must leave the United States after each match, forcing the team to fly in from Mexico, clear customs, play, and return the same day.
- FIFA has rejected Iran's request to move its U.S. games to Canada or Mexico, leaving three group matches in the United States and raising risks for scheduling, security screening, and diplomatic tension.