Iran's soccer team arrived in the United States for the first time at this World Cup on Sunday, landing at Los Angeles International Airport and holding a press conference on the same day that a peace deal between the two nations was announced.
Iran launched their World Cup campaign in Los Angeles amid protests by Iranian-Americans, highlighting deep divisions over Tehran's government even as Team Melli drew passionate support from fans in the stands.
For Iran's team, the FIFA World Cup has been marred by fraught politics at home, the war with the US, and tensions over whether they would actually be able to set foot on US soil to play their games.
'Thank you Los Angeles for your hospitality'
Iran's World Cup football team has finally received visas to enter the United States, just days before their first match in Los Angeles.
Five members of the Iranian women's football team, who initially sought asylum in Australia, have withdrawn their claims and are returning to Iran.
Amid an escalating regional war, questions deepen over whether Iran's soccer team will compete at this year's FIFA World Cup to be jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.
Iran's national soccer team will sleep in Mexico and travel to the US on the days of its three FIFA World Cup matches after Washington declined to host the squad for the tournament.
Iran's national soccer team attended visa appointments in Ankara, Turkey, applying for Canadian visas and some players also submitting applications for US entry ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
At the Iran-Belgium FIFA World Cup match, least one attendee wearing a pre-revolutionary flag shirt was detained for trying to run onto the pitch and Iranian player Alireza Jahanbakhsh said after the match that he doesn't want to keep focusing on the challenging situations faced by his team.
Eighteen months of preparation hang in the balance at a Tucson-based multi-use sports facility, where organisers say they remain in daily contact with FIFA about hosting Iran's national soccer team, even as geopolitical turmoil threatens to upend their World Cup plans.
Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the White House Task Force for the World Cup, confirmed that the US will continue to assess Iran's travel arrangements for the tournament despite their complaints about restrictions.
Iran's men's national soccer team wore black armbands and held schoolbags as their anthem played ahead of a match in Turkey on Friday, in what a team official said was a protest over the killing of schoolgirls on the first day of the Iran war.
Former Iranian water polo player Reza Soleimani expresses devastation over the execution of wrestler Saleh Mohammadi and voices support for Iranian athletes protesting against the government.
US President Donald Trump said on Thursday the Iranian men's national soccer team was welcome to participate in the 2026 World Cup but that he believed it was not appropriate that they be there "for their own life and safety."
Iran's football federation announced its World Cup ticket allocation has been revoked just days before the tournament, leaving many fans unable to attend.
Members of Iran women's football team returned home after five players withdrew asylum claims in Australia, ending a tense journey amid safety concerns.
Iran has banned national and club sports teams from travelling to countries it considers hostile, citing concerns over the safety of its athletes.
Iranian women footballers Mona Hamoudi, Zahra Sarbali and Zahra Meshkehkar, decided to return to their country days after seeking asylum in Australia.
Iran's national soccer team, currently training in Tijuana, Mexico, will be able to enter the US the day before each of their three World Cup matches, the Department of Homeland Security said on Tuesday.
Iran cannot participate in the 2026 World Cup after co-host the US launched airstrikes alongside Israel, Sports Minister Ahmad Donyamali said on Wednesday.
Protests on multiple fronts disrupted the atmosphere outside the FIFA Congress in Vancouver on Thursday, as demonstrators raised sharply different concerns over global politics and local issues.
Iran's coach and their key player said the national team will strive to bring joy and unity to Iranian people around the world, despite war and other tensions making their FIFA World Cup adventure uniquely challenging.
Iran's World Cup campaign has left many Iranian-Americans torn between supporting Team Melli and opposing the country's leadership, highlighting deep divisions within Los Angeles' influential Iranian diaspora.
Italy rejects a proposal by Trump envoy Paolo Zampolli to replace Iran at the FIFA World Cup 2026, as officials insist qualification must be earned on merit.
The visas were granted to the five Iranian players after US President Donald Trump spoke to Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese following reports that the players had requested asylum.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino said on Wednesday that he met with United States President Donald Trump, who told him he welcomed Iran's participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The Iranian girls' soccer team have been kicked out of this year's first Youth Olympics because of a FIFA ban on playing in Islamic head scarves.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino addressed various issues ahead of the World Cup, defending the body's handling of visa challenges, stressing its inability to override government decisions, and highlighting efforts to ensure participation from all nations, including Iran. He also defended ticket pricing and expressed optimism for a competitive tournament focused on unity.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, is set to be football's largest tournament but will unfold against a backdrop of significant geopolitical tensions, including conflicts, strained alliances, and complex immigration policies, challenging its traditional role as a symbol of global unity.
Iran's participation in this year's World Cup has been called into question after co-hosts the United States launched joint air strikes at the country along with Israel at the weekend.
The escalating conflict involving the U.S. and Israel with Iran has led to widespread disruption in the world of sports, with events postponed, travel plans thrown into chaos, and athletes seeking asylum.
India soccer team will tour Portugal next month and then stage an international tournament to help improve the national team, coach Bob Houghton said.
US President Donald Trump welcomed Lionel Messi and his Inter Miami team to the White House on Thursday as he boasted about the United States' ongoing operation in Iran.
Palestinian soccer federation President Jibril Rajoub refused to stand alongside Israel FA Vice-President Basim Sheikh Suliman in a heated moment at the FIFA Congress on Thursday.
Tehran's streets were filled with thousands of Iranians celebrating their men's national soccer team's qualification for the 2018 World Cup in Russia, defying threats by Islamic State to launch more extremist attacks in the country.
Iran's players did not sing the Iranian national anthem in an apparent show of support for anti-government protesters back home.
With few exceptions, female fans have been banned from sports events in the Islamic republic since the 1979 revolution and FIFA faced calls for the men's team to be banned from the 2022 World Cup over the issue.
'Of course, our thoughts are with the Iran people, the players and the whole country, but our focus is on this match.'
Next year's 48-team World Cup will be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19, 2026.
