Iranian Footballer Mehdi Torabi's US Visa Expires After World Cup Opener

WASHINGTON, June 16. /TASS/. Iranian footballer Mehdi Torabi's US visa expired after the team's opening group stage match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Agence France-Presse reported citing Iranian news agency IRNA.

According to the agency, the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran (FFIRI) has started the process of obtaining a new visa.

The Iranian football team qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and, following the draw, was placed in Group G alongside Belgium, Egypt and New Zealand. Iran has already played its first out of three group stage matches in Los Angeles against New Zealand (2-2). It is scheduled to play again in Los Angeles on June 21 against Belgium and is set to play another match in Seattle against Egypt on June 26.

On June 3, Iranian Ambassador to Turkey Mohammad Hassan Habibollahzadeh announced that everyone on the Iranian football team had been granted entry visas to participate in this year’s FIFA World Cup. However, TASS reported later that a part of the Iranian delegation, including some on the coaching staff, were denied entry visas.

FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom announced on May 17 that representatives of FIFA and the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran (FFIRI) held a productive meeting in Turkey, giving FIFA confidence that the Iranian national team would indeed take part in the upcoming World Cup.

Earlier in May, the Iranian football federation lauded the decision to move the team’s training camp from the United States to Mexico.

What to know about Iran, FIFA World Cup

On April 22, Iranian Sports Minister Ahmad Donyamali stated that the Iranian national football team might still participate in the 2026 FIFA World Cup if the safety of the team was ensured, however, no final decision was made at that time.

Donyamali previously stated on March 11 that Iran would skip the 2026 FIFA World Cup. However, on March 16, the Secretary General of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), Windsor John, announced that the Iranian side had not officially withdrawn from the upcoming World Championship.

On March 17, President of the Iranian Football Federation Mehdi Taj announced that the country’s football body was in talks with FIFA on relocating the team's matches at the 2026 World Cup from the United States to Mexico. FIFA President Gianni Infantino said in turn that the world’s governing body of football will do everything in its power to accommodate the Iranian national team at the upcoming global football championship.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be co-hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States between June 11 and July 19. The matches will be staged in 16 cities across the three countries. This will be the first FIFA World Cup featuring 48 teams instead of the previous 32-team format.