The Iranian national football team is preparing to depart from Turkey today for a training camp in Mexico, where they will be staying during the upcoming World Cup.
Iranian state television reported that some members of the Iranian Football Federation have not yet received visas to enter the United States.
Among the 14 members of the delegation who were not granted visas are the League's Secretary General Hedayet Mobeini and Vice President Mehdi Mohamad Nabi.
Iran's participation in the World Cup, which is being held in the US, Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19, was uncertain due to the war with Israel and the US. Due to visa problems, the Iranian national team had to change its training base from Tucson, Arizona, to Tijuana, Mexico, which is located on the border with California.
The Iranian national football team will play their first match of the tournament in Inglewood against New Zealand on June 15. At the same venue in the second round, Iran will play Belgium on June 21, and will conclude the group stage on June 26 in Seattle with a match against Egypt.
The team prepared in Antalya, and the delegation received visas at the Mexican Embassy in Ankara.
US President Donald Trump said in early March that due to the war, it would not be appropriate for Iran to participate in the World Cup, for security reasons. The US and Israel attacked Iran on February 28.
Iranian officials then announced that the national team would not play in the tournament, which is being played in the US, Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19, but the national football team said that no one could stop it from participating.
The Iranian Football Federation then requested to play its matches in Mexico, but FIFA President Gianni Infantino has repeatedly said that the competition schedule will not change and that Iran will play in the United States.
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