Iran Football Team Heads to Turkey for World Cup Prep

The Iran national football team is set to travel to Turkey for friendly matches and to complete visa applications for the United States as part of their preparations for the 2026 World Cup. The squad, consisting of 22 domestically-based players and coaching staff led by head coach Amir Ghalenoei, departed for Antalya, Turkey, where they will play their final friendly match before heading to the U.S.

The team plans to participate in the tournament despite ongoing tensions with the U.S., which has launched attacks against Iran. U.S. officials have stated that Iran is welcome to participate in the World Cup, rejecting suggestions to move the games to co-hosts Mexico or Canada.

Mehdi Taj, head of the Iran Football Federation, confirmed that there are no visa issues yet. The team will establish a base camp in Tucson, Arizona, as they prepare for their campaign, which includes matches against New Zealand and Belgium.