Iran take step closer to confirming World Cup participation – despite Trump’s war

Stay up to date with notifications from The IndependentNotifications can be managed in browser preferences.Jump to contentThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged inAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleIran's national football team attended visa appointments in Ankara, Turkey, on Thursday with the entire squad applying for Canadian visas and some players also seeking US visas for the 2026 World Cup. The team is scheduled to play all three group-stage matches in the United States, requiring Canadian visas only if they advance to the knockout rounds of the tournament co-hosted by the US, Canada, and Mexico. Preparations for the World Cup have been complicated by the ongoing conflict between Iran, the US, and Israel, which led to the suspension of Iran's domestic league and affected players' match fitness. Coach Amir Ghalenoei's squad is holding a pre-tournament training camp in Antalya, Turkey, following the league suspension that left many domestic-based players without competitive football for seven weeks. Despite initial suggestions from Donald Trump that Iran should not participate, Fifa president Gianni Infantino confirmed their involvement, with Trump later appearing to support Iran being allowed to play.In fullIran football team applies for World Cup visas in Turkey amid US conflictThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in

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