Entry refusals and rallies cast shadow over FIFA at World Cup start

Iranian delegation reports FIFA shortfalls in securing American access for multiple officials, leaving 15 federation members without visas ahead of matches and pressing for rule compliance.

Team IR Iran Airport Arrival - FIFA World Cup 2026 TIJUANA, MEXICO - JUNE 07: Members of the Iranian national soccer team including midfielder Alireza Jahanbakhsh (R) arrive at Tijuana International Airport on June 7, 2026 in Tijuana, Mexico. The team's World Cup participation has been complicated

(photo credit: Mario Tama/Getty Images)

ByREUTERS

JUNE 13, 2026 02:50

Updated: JUNE 13, 2026 02:52

FIFA chief Gianni Infantino has not met pledges to guarantee complete access for the Iranian soccer federation at the squad's three matches in the United States, Iran's World Cup team supervisor informed Reuters.

Mahdi Mohammad Nabi, who previously oversaw Iran squad operations at the 2018 and 2022 World Cups in Russia and Qatar, counts among 15 Iranian soccer federation members refused visas for travel to the U.S. games.

He spoke with Reuters on Thursday evening, one day after Infantino held an open press conference in Mexico City where he highlighted Iran's tournament involvement as evidence of success in handling intricate political matters.

"We hope Mr. Infantino will indeed carry out the statements and commitments he made to the Iran national team," Nabi told Reuters on Thursday.

"The FIFA regulations and protocols must be properly followed by both member federations and hosts."

FIFA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The US State Department said the visas had been rejected because it "will not allow the Iranian team to abuse this system to sneak terrorists into the US under false pretenses."

Iran team claims the US has denied entry to its members disproportionately

The US has also denied visas to Iranian and African journalists covering the World Cup, applied bond measures for countries flagged for high rates of visa overstays, and enforced travel bans against nationals from four countries that qualified for the World Cup.

The US this week denied entry to Somalian FIFA referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, despite him having a valid visa to enter the US, for alleged links to "terror organizations."

But Iran is the only World Cup team whose federation has seen large numbers of its members denied entry into the US.

The denials unfold against a backdrop of escalating strikes between the warring countries, which have threatened to reignite a full-scale war that was paused in April when the two sides agreed to a fragile ceasefire.

This is the first World Cup since its inception in 1930 in which a host nation is set to receive a country it is at war with.

The players were granted U.S. visas 10 days before their first match outside Los Angeles, which is scheduled for Monday against New Zealand.

FIFA confronts protests in Toronto over Israel ties ahead of Canada World Cup match

Protesters unfurled a massive red banner on top of the World Cup logo near a busy highway in Toronto on Friday, denouncing FIFA's association with Israel, hours before Canada's first game.

Demonstrators donning shirts that read "Jews for a free Palestine" mounted a nearby embankment and dropped the banner with the message "Kick Israel out of FIFA."

The banner was visible to commuters on the Gardiner Expressway - one of Canada's busiest - on their way to the home team's opener against Bosnia and Herzegovina at the Toronto stadium.

Other actions organized by a group of activists included demands for the release of prominent Palestinian doctor Hussam Abu Safiya, who was captured by the Israeli military in Gaza in late 2024.

Faisal Ibrahim, a spokesperson for the activists, accused FIFA of being complicit with Israel's actions against Palestinians.

"FIFA not only turns a blind eye to the Israel Football Association's playing of games on illegally occupied West Bank and Syrian territory, it actually actively broadcasts those games, thereby normalizing occupation and erasure, which makes FIFA an active and complicit participant," he told Reuters.

In March, global soccer's ruling body said it would take no action against Israeli clubs accused by the Palestine Football Association of competing while allegedly based in Palestinian territory, citing the unresolved legal status of the West Bank under public international law.

Israel's war in Gaza has killed tens of thousands, caused a hunger crisis, and led to assessments of genocide from scholars and a United Nations inquiry.

Israel strongly denies genocide accusations and calls its actions self-defense after Hamas-led militants killed 1,200 people and took more than 250 hostages in an October 2023 attack.

UN experts have also appealed to FIFA and the Union of European Football Associations to suspend Israel from international football.