Iran’s national team will only be allowed to enter the United States on match days during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, according to Iran’s ambassador to Mexico, Abolfazl Pasandideh.

Pasandideh said the players must leave US territory on the same day after each match and return to their base in Tijuana, Mexico.

The decision adds another challenge to Iran’s World Cup preparations, as the team will have to manage travel, recovery, and match-day routines under unusual conditions.

“The Iranian national team players will only be allowed to enter the United States on the day of the matches,” Pasandideh said. “They must leave American territory on the same day after the match ends.”

The ambassador also said that 15 Iranian officials have still not received US visas to attend the tournament. He added that Iran hopes the issue will be resolved before the team’s opening match against New Zealand on June 15.

Iran had first planned to set up its World Cup base in Arizona. However, the team later moved its camp to Tijuana because of visa problems and political tensions between Tehran and Washington.