Iran's football team will be allowed to enter the US one day before each of their World Cup matches, confirmed the US Department of Homeland Security. The team's base camp will be in Tijuana, Mexico, from where they will travel to the US for their matches.
Earlier reports suggested Iran would have to enter the US on match days and leave immediately after the games. However, a Homeland Security spokesperson clarified that Iran is not required to enter on match days.
Iran Football Federation spokesperson Amir Mehdi Alavii stated the team will travel to the US on a chartered flight in accordance with FIFA rules. They will arrive in Los Angeles a day before their match against New Zealand on June 15.
Despite the confirmation, several key team officials are yet to receive their visas. The Iranian embassy in Mexico reported that the list of those without visas includes the team manager, two analysts, the media director, and a foreign ministry representative.
US President Donald Trump previously expressed no objection to Iran's participation in the World Cup but suggested it would not be appropriate for the Iranian team to stay in the US for safety reasons.
