ISTANBUL – Iran has criticised the United States after several members of its World Cup support staff were reportedly denied visas ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The dispute emerged just days before the tournament begins on June 11 in the United States, Mexico and Canada. Iran’s players, who have been training in Antalya, Turkey, received their visas on Friday and are expected to travel to Mexico. However, Iran’s embassy in Turkey said a large number of managerial and executive staff were refused visas, accusing the US of discriminatory treatment against the national team. The embassy called on FIFA to hold the United States accountable, arguing that the visa denials violate the organisation’s rules and undermine fair treatment of participating teams.

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