Four members of Iran’s World Cup delegation have successfully overturned initial US visa refusals, allowing them to travel for matches in the United States, but 11 officials remain unable to enter the country.
The successful appeals included a technical analyst and two federation international department staff members. However, several senior figures, including Iran Football Federation president Mehdi Taj, a vice-president, team administrators, media staff and a security officer were again denied visas.
Iran, which has based its World Cup campaign in Mexico amid tensions with the United States, will play group-stage matches against New Zealand in Los Angeles, Belgium and Egypt.
The visa dispute follows US warnings that individuals linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps could face entry restrictions, while Iranian supporters have also been affected after their World Cup ticket allocation was revoked. FIFA says it is continuing efforts to maximise attendance opportunities for Iranian fans.
