Iran has accused the United States of blocking members of its national team's support staff from entering the country, even as the players themselves were granted visas to compete in the 2022 World Cup. The incident, which threatens to deepen tensions between the two longtime adversaries, unfolded just days before Iran's opening match against England.
According to Iranian officials, several team doctors, physiotherapists, and logistics personnel were denied entry at US airports or had their visa applications rejected without explanation. The Iranian Football Federation claims the rejections are 'politically motivated' and violate FIFA's guarantee that all accredited team members should be allowed into the host nation. The US State Department has not commented on individual cases but reiterated that visa decisions are made on a case-by-case basis.
Accusations of selective treatment
The timing is particularly awkward. The players themselves received their US visas in time for the tournament, which is being co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. But the support staff—the people who tape ankles, manage hydration, and ensure players get to training on time—were left stranded. Iran's team doctor, Dr. Ahmad Moghaddam, told reporters in Doha that he was pulled aside at Washington Dulles and questioned for hours before being put on a return flight to Tehran. 'They didn't give a reason,' he said. 'They just said my visa was invalid.'
Iranian officials have framed this as a breach of sporting protocol. 'Football should be above politics,' said Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani. 'You cannot welcome the players and then bar the people who keep them healthy.' The Iranian team has been forced to rely on local medical staff hired in Qatar, raising concerns about continuity of care during a high-stakes tournament.
A history of friction
This isn't the first time World Cup logistics have collided with geopolitics. During the 2018 tournament in Russia, Iranian fans faced visa delays, and in 2014, the US and Iran sparred over credentialing for journalists. But blocking team staff is a relatively new escalation. The US and Iran have no diplomatic relations, and visa processing is handled through the Swiss embassy in Tehran, which acts as a protecting power. The process is notoriously slow, and rejections are common, but the blanket denial of an entire support contingent is unusual.
FIFA has so far stayed quiet, though sources say the governing body is privately urging the US to reconsider. The World Cup's own regulations require host nations to facilitate entry for all accredited participants, but enforcement is weak. Iran's complaint could set a precedent for future tournaments, especially as the 2026 edition will be hosted across the US, Canada, and Mexico.
For now, the Iranian team is making do. They've hired a Qatari physio and borrowed a doctor from the Algerian federation. But the damage to morale is real. 'We feel like we're not welcome,' said one Iranian player who spoke on condition of anonymity. 'We came here to play football, but politics keeps finding us.'