Iran World Cup Row
Iran's World Cup Match with Belgium Overshadowed by Off-Field Visa Claims and Protests
Iran drew 0-0 with Belgium at SoFi Stadium on Sunday, keeping its World Cup hopes alive with two points from two matches in Group G. But the score was almost beside the point. AP reported that U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin accused Iran of trying to sneak Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps — or IRGC — operatives into the country disguised as football officials, a claim Iran flatly denied.
The Iranian Football Federation called the U.S. allegations an "outright and undeniable lie" meant to "cover up discriminatory behavior." The federation said it has filed a formal complaint with FIFA. Meanwhile, a few hundred protesters demonstrated outside the stadium, waving the pre-1979 Iranian flag to signal opposition to the current government.
U.S. Cuts Iran's Delegation Nearly in Half
The U.S. granted visas to only 53 of the 120 Iranian delegation members, according to BNO News. Secretary Mullin said the rest had "direct ties to the IRGC," which the U.S. has designated a foreign terrorist organization since 2019. He said the U.S. has no problem with athletes — only with "people who have nothing to do with athletics."
On June 20, DHS officials blocked an Iranian man from boarding a flight from Tijuana to the U.S., alleging he was an IRGC operative posing as a football official. SFGATE reported that at least 14 to 15 federation officials and analysts were explicitly denied entry by the State Department. Andrew Giuliani of the White House World Cup Task Force defended the policy, saying the U.S. had been "clear" about the process.
Iran Trains in Mexico, Shuttles to Every Match
Iran originally planned to use Tucson, Arizona as its training base. Security restrictions forced the team to relocate to Tijuana, Mexico instead. That means the players must cross the U.S.-Mexico border for every match and return immediately after the final whistle. Under a special security agreement, Iran is only allowed inside the U.S. 24 hours before kickoff.
Head coach Amir Ghalenoei said his team is the "most oppressed team in the whole World Cup." He told Al Jazeera his squad had "half the usual training time" because of the travel rules. The team now faces a trip to Seattle to play Egypt on June 26 — a match they must win to advance. A loss or draw could end their tournament.
Players Wear '168' Pins for Children Killed in February Strike
Iranian players took the field wearing pins marked "168" — the number of people, mostly children, killed in a U.S.-Israeli missile strike on a girls' school in southern Iran on February 28, 2026. Captain Ehsan Hajsafi has said the team is playing for the memory of those lost. The strike, and the war that followed, set the backdrop for everything Iran has faced at this tournament.
Newsweek reported that the February strike became a rallying cry for the squad. Yet the players are also under intense pressure at home. Analysts note that players fear speaking out against their own government, even as they face boos from crowds in the host country. Iran sits on two points in Group G after draws with New Zealand and Belgium.
Protesters Outside Stadium, Diplomacy Talk Inside
Outside SoFi Stadium, hundreds of demonstrators waved the lion-and-sun flag used before Iran's 1979 revolution. The protests have followed the team to every match. At the New Zealand game on June 15, a similar crowd gathered. The protesters say they support Iranian people but reject the team as a symbol of the current government.
Inside the political world, Vice President JD Vance offered a softer note. He said the World Cup could offer Iran and the U.S. a "new leaf," pointing to peace talks happening at the same time in Switzerland, according to SFGATE. FIFA has not publicly commented on the visa dispute, but the federation's formal complaint puts pressure on the governing body to respond before the Egypt match.
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