Iran’s national football team was headed to Turkey on Monday to play a final friendly match before flying to the United States for the 2026 World Cup, the country’s media reported.
“The Iranian national football team… departed this morning for Antalya, Turkey, to play its final friendly match before flying to the United States for the 2026 World Cup,” the Tasnim news agency reported.
It said the squad consisted of 22 domestic-based players alongside their coaching staff.
On Saturday, head coach Amir Ghalenoei said they would also be completing visa applications for the US while in Turkey.
The team’s participation in the 2026 World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada, comes amid a fragile ceasefire between Iran and the US which paused 40 days of war that began on February 28.
The US cut diplomatic ties with Iran in 1980 following the Islamic Revolution and the hostage crisis at the American embassy.
Iran hopes to play two friendlies in Antalya.
The side has already confirmed one match, against Gambia, on May 29, said Sam Mehdizadeh, an Iranian-Canadian who heads a company that sets up friendlies for the team.
READ: Preliminary Iran squad for FIFA World Cup 2026—Sardar Azmoun left out
“No visas have been issued yet,” Mehdi Taj, the Iran football federation head, told Iranian media on Thursday.
Taj said players were expected to undergo fingerprinting in Turkey as part of the visa process but wished to avoid a trip of more than 380 kilometres from Antalya to Ankara.
On Saturday, FIFA secretary general Mattias Grafstrom held a meeting in Turkey with the Iranian federation, describing it as excellent and constructive.
Taj also described Saturday’s meeting as “positive and constructive” without going into details.
When the squad reaches the United States, Iran will set up its base camp in Tucson, Arizona.
The team, which is in Group G, is due to kick off its World Cup campaign against New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15 before facing Belgium in the same city and then Egypt in Seattle.
Published on May 18, 2026
