LONDON (Kashmir English): Iran’s national football team left for Turkey on Monday to play a final friendly match and apply for US visas for the 2026 World Cup, Iranian media reported.
The team plan to fly to the United States and participate in the tournament despite co-host United States having launched a war against them.
The fighting has been on hold for weeks due to what seems a fragile ceasefire with peace talks having failed to make a breakthrough.
The team “departed this morning for Antalya, Turkey to play its final friendly match before flying to the United States for the 2026 World Cup,” the Tasnim news agency reported.
It said the squad consisted of 22 domestic-based players alongside their coaching staff.
On Saturday, head coach Amir Ghalenoei said the squad would also be completing visa applications for the US while in Turkey.
Iran secured their spot at World Cup in March 2025
Iran reserved a berth at this year’s FIFA World Cup in March last year, but since then the United States has twice launched attacks on the country.
When the Iranian squad reaches the United States, they will set up their base camp in Tucson, Arizona.
The team, who are in Group G, are due to kick off their campaign against New Zealand in Los Angeles on 15 June, before facing Belgium in the same city and then Egypt in Seattle.
