Iran's national football team is training in Tijuana under tight security and logistical constraints, with less than a week before the squad is due to cross into the US for their opening World Cup match — and with a still-unresolved dispute over visas for 13 members of their delegation and the revocation of their ticket allocation for all three group games.
The Iranian Football Federation said on Tuesday that its entire allocation of 8% of capacity for each of its matches — against New Zealand, Belgium and Egypt — had been cancelled without explanation. The federation issued a formal protest.
At the FIFA Congress in Vancouver in April, FIFA President Gianni Infantino opened his remarks by stating he was "confirming, straight away, for those who want to say something else or write something else, that of course Iran will be participating at the FIFA World Cup 2026. And of course Iran will play in the United States of America."
Prior to his statement at the congress, he also made an unannounced appearance at Iran's warm-up match against Costa Rica in Turkey, where he told reporters Iran would be at the World Cup.
"That's why we're here," Infantino said. "I've seen the team, I've spoken to the players and the coach, so everything is fine."
