STORY: Iran's World Cup soccer team left Turkey for Mexico on Saturday (June 6), days before opening its tournament campaign against New Zealand in Los Angeles, and as a row continued over U.S. visas for some of its administrative staff.

A White House official told Reuters on Friday (June 5) that the players had received their U.S. visas, 10 days before Iran's first match. Iran's semi-official news agency Tasnim reported that those who had not received visas included Executive Director Mehdi Kharati, the Secretary General of the Soccer Federation, Hedayat Mombini, and Media Director Mohsen Motamedkia. Tasnim said those without visas would travel to Mexico with the team while efforts to obtain them continued.

Iran's football federation said the U.S. decision was political and contradicted international sports laws, and it would raise the matter with FIFA. The team negotiated a last-minute move of its base from Arizona to Tijuana over the visa dispute and Iranian concerns about the squad's presence in the United States. The tournament, co-hosted by the U.S., Mexico and Canada, opens on Wednesday (June 10), the first World Cup in which a host nation is set to receive a country it is at war with, following the U.S. and Israeli military campaign against Iran launched in February.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

SHOWS: ANTALYA, TURKEY (JUNE 6, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. VARIOUS OF IRANIAN WORLD CUP SOCCER TEAM POSING ON STEPS AND LEAVING

2. SUPPORTERS WAVING IRANIAN FLAGS

3. TEAM MEMBERS KISSING QURAN AND LEAVING

4. VARIOUS OF POSTER ON BUS SHOWING LOGO OF FOOTBALL FEDERATION ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN

5. SUPPORTERS APPLAUDING, CHILD WAVING IRANIAN FLAG, BUS CARRYING SOCCER TEAM LEAVING