Iran ambassador hits out at ‘country to the north’ in US World Cup visa row

play Live Sign upShow navigation menu.css-15ru6p1{font-size:inherit;font-weight:normal;}Navigation menuNewsShow more news sectionsAfricaAsiaUS & CanadaLatin AmericaEuropeAsia PacificMiddle EastExplainedOpinionSportVideoMoreShow more sectionsFeaturesEconomyHuman RightsClimate CrisisInvestigationsInteractivesIn PicturesScience & TechnologyPodcastsTravelplay Live Click here to searchsearchSign upNavigation menucaret-leftIranIran’s ‘axis’ in disarrayWill Gulf states join war?Iran’s weaponsWho's in charge in Iran?caret-rightSport|World Cup 2026Iran ambassador hits out at ‘country to the north’ in US World Cup visa rowIran’s football team still lacks US visas and is not competing on ‘equal terms’, Tehran’s envoy to Mexico says. xwhatsapp-strokecopylinkgoogleAdd Al Jazeera on GoogleinfoIran’s ambassador to Mexico, Abolfazl Pasandideh, holds a news conferences after a private meeting with business owners and traders at the Tijuana Chamber of Commerce (Canaco), as the city is set to serve as a base camp for Iran’s national team during the 2026 FIFA World Cup [Jorge Duenes/Reuters]By AFPPublished On 28 May 202628 May 2026Iran’s football team still lacks US visas and is not competing in the World Cup on “equal terms” because of its difficulty in training ahead of the tournament, Tehran’s ambassador to Mexico said on Thursday. Abolfazl Pasandideh visited the northwestern Mexican border city of Tijuana, where Iranians have relocated their training camp. They were originally planned to be based in Tucson in the US state of Arizona. The ambassador told a news conference that “the country to the north” – meaning the United States – had not followed through on its responsibility of hosting the Iranian team. “We don’t know whether or not they’re going to give the players their visas,” he added. Iran will play their three World Cup group games in two West Coast US cities: Los Angeles and Seattle. The head of the Iranian Football Federation has said there was hope that the players would be granted multiple entry visas. “We aren’t participating in the World Cup on equal terms,” Pasandideh said. “We haven’t been able to train our team like they should,” he said, because of the US-Israel war on his country that began on February 28. On Wednesday, Iranian diplomats visited the stadium where the team is training, a source from Club Tijuana that plays there told the news agency AFP. The diplomats also met with local security officials, the source said. Iran are due to play in Los Angeles on June 15 against New Zealand, and on June 21, against Belgium. They then play in Seattle against Egypt on June 26. Advertisement AboutAboutShow moreAbout UsCode of EthicsTerms and ConditionsEU/EEA Regulatory NoticePrivacy PolicyCookie PolicyCookie PreferencesAccessibility StatementSitemapWork for usConnectConnectShow moreContact UsUser Accounts HelpAdvertise with usStay ConnectedNewslettersChannel FinderTV SchedulePodcastsSubmit a TipPaid Partner ContentOur ChannelsOur ChannelsShow moreAl Jazeera ArabicAl Jazeera EnglishAl Jazeera Investigative UnitAl Jazeera MubasherAl Jazeera DocumentaryAl Jazeera BalkansAJ+Our NetworkOur NetworkShow moreAl Jazeera Centre for StudiesAl Jazeera Media InstituteLearn ArabicAl Jazeera Centre for Public Liberties & Human RightsAl Jazeera ForumAl Jazeera Hotel PartnersFollow Al Jazeera English: