Iran's World Cup team feted at home with public farewell amid US visa fears
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Iran's football team was given a state send-off in Tehran on Wednesday with Hezbollah flags and anti-US chants from those gathered, as players and officials await US visas for their World Cup group games.
Iran's football team was given a state farewell ceremony in Tehran this week, where chants of "Death to America" rang out and Hezbollah flags were visible in the crowd, as players and officials expressed uncertainty over whether US visas would be granted in time for the World Cup.
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The send-off, which drew such large crowds that players were unable to leave their team buses at first, featured the unveiling of Iran's official 2026 World Cup kit.
Some players took to the stage to speak of "patriotism" in front of regime supporters who regularly attend state-organised events.
"This is the best farewell ceremony in the last four World Cups. The players stand alongside the people, and the people stand alongside the country's dignity, honour and power," Head of the Iranian Football Federation Mehdi Taj told state-run television IRIB.
"Whatever the result, we hope Iran’s flag will be raised there and defended," Taj added.
Taj also claimed at the ceremony that Iranian-American singer Nasrollah Moein, based in Los Angeles, had agreed to record an anthem for the national team. Moein denied this within hours, describing the claim as a rumour on his Instagram page.
Mehr News Agency, affiliated with the Islamic Development Organisation, censored footage showing Hezbollah flags in the crowd when it published its coverage of the ceremony.
Concerns over Iran’s participation persist
Iran's World Cup participation has been clouded by uncertainty since the outbreak of the war with the United States and Israel in late February.
All three of Iran's group-stage matches are scheduled to be played in the US, and no visas have yet been issued for players or coaching staff.
Taj was denied entry to Canada two weeks ago when he attempted to attend the FIFA Congress in Vancouver.
The Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) are designated a terrorist organisation in both Canada and the US, and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said people linked to the IRGC would not be permitted to enter. Tehran said it expects FIFA to resolve the issue.
"We have not yet received anything regarding the visas. We hope the issue will definitely be resolved within this timeframe," Heydat Mombini, the federation's secretary-general, said on the sidelines of the ceremony.
"FIFA has given assurances and we hope it will follow through and the players will receive their visas on time," Mombini added.
RelatedReports that the US had rejected visa applications for players in Iraq's national team — later denied by the White House and the Iraqi Football Association — added to concerns in Tehran.
"I have heard the same news. I hope FIFA steps in. We have always believed that sport should be separate from politics," Mombini said. "FIFA has a duty to intervene and ensure that the entry of all members of teams taking part in the World Cup is facilitated."
The team will travel to Turkey next week for a training camp and is scheduled to play a warm-up match against Gambia in Antalya on 29 May. The federation is also working to arrange a second friendly during the camp.
Performance under question
The circumstances surrounding the war have severely disrupted Iran's preparations for the world's biggest sports tournament.
Fixtures and training plans have been cancelled, the national coach's Italian assistant terminated his contract unilaterally and the team has been reduced to playing internal practice matches.
The Iranian national team was already struggling before the war, having lost to both Uzbekistan and Russia, with calls from sports media — including outlets close to the Revolutionary Guards — for coach Amir Ghalenoei to be replaced by a foreign manager.
The national team's relationship with Iranians both at home and abroad is complicated.
Four years ago, during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Iranians in several cities celebrated the team's defeats to England and the US as a form of protest against the Tehran regime.
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