The Iran Football Federation (FFIRI) announced on Tuesday that winger Mehdi Torabi's visa to the United States has expired after a single entry for the team's FIFA World Cup 2026 opening match in Los Angeles.
Visa Validity Issue
According to an FFIRI spokesperson, while the team's players were issued multiple-entry visas, Torabi's visa was valid for only one entry. The federation is now working to obtain a new visa for the player to rejoin the national team for upcoming matches.
World Cup Campaign
Iran is based in Tijuana, Mexico, commuting to the United States for their group-stage matches. The team played their opener at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, drawing 2-2 with New Zealand. Goals from Ramin Rezaeian and Mohammad Mohebbi canceled out a brace from Elijah Just in a tightly contested Group G encounter.
Geopolitical Context
Iran's participation in the World Cup occurs amid ongoing tensions with the United States and Israel. The team relocated their base camp from Arizona to Tijuana due to uncertainties over entry arrangements for the Iranian delegation.
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