June 7, 2026
A plane carrying Iran’s World Cup football squad landed early Sunday in the Mexican border city of Tijuana, AFP journalists witnessed, after the United States kicked off a bitter diplomatic row over visas.
An AFP photographer saw the plane, which departed Turkey with a stop in Spain, land around 5:00 am (1200 GMT) local time in Tijuana, where the Iranian team will be based during the tournament co-hosted by Mexico, the United States and Canada.
Uncertainty remains over US entry permits for Iranian players just days before the World Cup begins, with various Iranian bodies denouncing “unfair” treatment.
Iran is set to play all three of their group-stage matches in the United States, facing New Zealand and Belgium in Los Angeles before taking on Egypt in Seattle.
