Iran says staff blocked from entering US after football players given World Cup visas
BBC reports that Tehran has announced football federation officials and coaching staff were denied US visas, even though World Cup visas were granted to the players. FIFA and the US State Department have become involved.
According to BBC's reporting from Tehran, the US State Department issued provisional visas to Iranian football players for the 2026 World Cup but rejected applications from federation officials and coaching staff. The Iran Football Federation called the decision 'a political step that harms sports diplomacy'.
FIFA's secretary general said the organisation has reminded the host country of its protocol obligations and is in contact with the US to guarantee officials' access to technical bodies. A US State Department spokesperson said that, owing to the operational restrictions of the Iran-US war, individual applications are subject to security screening, and that the decision does not apply to the players.
The draw for the matches will be held early next month. Possible group fixtures and Iran's team logistics plan are being closely watched internationally. This article is not investment advice.
More from Middle East
Al Jazeera analysis: 100 days into the war on Iran, Trump struggles to rally US support
Al Jazeera writes that public support for the war on Iran has eroded at the 100-day mark and that congressional scepticism about the operation has grown. Brent crude is above $100 and military spending has entered a contested phase.
Lebanese general among three soldiers killed in Israeli attack on car
According to the BBC, three soldiers — including a general — have been killed in an Israeli strike on a vehicle in southern Lebanon. The attack comes at a moment when implementation talks on the renewed Israel-Lebanon ceasefire have grown tense.
Videos show Kuwait intercepting ballistic missiles from Iran
According to Al Jazeera, Kuwait's air-defence systems intercepted ballistic missiles launched from Iran before they could hit a facility near the capital. The footage has accelerated emergency consultations across the Gulf Cooperation Council.