The US Department of Homeland Security announced on June 9 that Iranian national soccer players will be permitted to enter the United States the day before each of their 2026 FIFA World Cup matches.
Iran’s opening match is scheduled for June 15 in Los Angeles. The team has been training across the border in Tijuana, Mexico, a logistical workaround forced by visa restrictions affecting staff members with alleged ties to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
How the visa saga unfolded
Visas were issued to players, coaches, trainers, and select support staff around June 5-6, roughly ten days before the tournament opener. But the initial terms apparently included same-day entry restrictions, meaning the team would have needed to cross the border and take the field within hours.
The revised DHS policy scraps that constraint, allowing Iranian players to arrive a full day ahead of kickoff.
