Iran’s national football team arrived in Turkey on Monday for a training camp and to complete visa applications ahead of the 2026 World Cup, AFP correspondents reported.
The 22-player delegation and coaching staff of "Team Melli" landed in the Turkish resort city of Antalya, wearing navy blue tracksuits as they left the airport.
The team will spend several weeks in Turkey before heading to the global tournament, which is being co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The buildup to the tournament follows a major escalation earlier this year when the United States and Israel launched airstrikes against Iran on February 28.
An April 8 ceasefire has temporarily halted the conflict, allowing the team to prepare. Iran will be based in Tucson, Arizona, and will play all three of their group matches in the United States despite the ongoing diplomatic crisis. However, stagnant peace negotiations, recent drone attacks in the Gulf, and fresh warnings from US President Donald Trump have raised fears that fighting could resume.
While in Antalya, the team hopes to play two friendly matches, including one against The Gambia on May 29, according to Sam Mehdizadeh, an Iranian-Canadian match organizer.
Because Tehran and Washington severed diplomatic ties in 1980, head coach Amir Ghalenoei confirmed the squad is using the stopover in Turkey to finalize their US visa applications.
Last week, state television showed crowds of flag-waving supporters cheering the team at a send-off ceremony in Tehran’s Enghelab Square. However, public sentiment remains deeply divided.
Some citizens view the team as political representatives of the government rather than the public.
"This squad is not representative of the Iranian people; it's the team of the Islamic Republic," Sepehr, a 19-year-old student from Tehran, told AFP by phone. "Many feel they sold out for money and status."
Mehrshad, a 35-year-old shopkeeper in Tehran, acknowledged the massive rift between the public and the team, though he noted the immense pressure the players face.
"My friends and I don't have the energy to watch the World Cup anymore," he told AFP. "The only reason I would watch our team is to see them lose."
Iran secured its World Cup spot in March 2025. Since then, Washington has launched two intensive bombing campaigns against the country.
Despite the hostilities, US officials insist Iran remains welcome at the tournament. FIFA rejected proposals from Iranian soccer officials to move their matches to co-hosts Mexico or Canada.
"Let 'em play," Trump remarked in late April.
However, security screenings remain a significant hurdle. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio noted that while players are welcome, scrutiny will be applied to accompanying officials who may have links to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which Washington designates as a terrorist organization.
Last month, Iranian football federation officials canceled a trip to the FIFA Congress in Canada, claiming they were "insulted" by Canadian immigration authorities. Federation Chief Mehdi Taj, who is currently with the delegation in Turkey, is a former member of the IRGC, an organization also blacklisted by Canada.
To resolve these tensions, FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafström met with Taj and Iranian football officials in Istanbul over the weekend, describing the talks as constructive.
Iran is placed in Group G. They will kick off their World Cup campaign against New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15, followed by matches against Belgium in Los Angeles and Egypt in Seattle.
