Iran soccer staff gamers line up earlier than the Worldwide Pleasant match as faculty luggage are laid in reminiscence of the victims of the ladies faculty bombing in Minab, Iran at Mardan Sports activities Complicated, Antalya, Turkey, March 27, 2026. — Reuters
Iran will play their ultimate World Cup warm-up behind closed doorways in Turkiye on Thursday earlier than departing for his or her match base in Mexico on Saturday, the Iranian FA (FFIRI) mentioned on Wednesday.
Though it was one of many first groups to qualify, Iran’s participation within the World Cup has been doubtful because the US and Israel launched air strikes on the Islamic Republic in late February.
The squad has performed three friendlies in two coaching camps in Antalya because the begin of the battle — shedding to Nigeria and beating Costa Rica and Gambia — and on Thursday will face Mali within the Turkish sea resort.
“Considering the importance of the Iranian national football team’s friendly match against Mali, and in line with the tactical objectives of Iran’s head coach, tomorrow’s match against Mali will be held behind closed doors and without media attendance,” FFIRI mentioned in a press release.
The FFIRI persuaded Fifa to permit the staff to swap its match base from Tucson, Arizona, to Tijuana, Mexico, and from there they may commute throughout the border to their first two group video games towards New Zealand and Belgium in Los Angeles.
Their third and ultimate Group G recreation towards Egypt is in Seattle.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday mentioned Washington had “no problem” with the Iranian staff getting into the nation, however wouldn’t let officers or employees with ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) accompany them.
“What we’re not going to allow is for them to embed in their delegation a bunch of people that we know have nothing to do with athletics and have ties to the IRGC or things of that nature, so we were going to watch that very closely,” Rubio mentioned throughout a Home of Representatives committee listening to.
Each the US and Canada, who’re co-hosting the World Cup with Mexico, classify the IRGC as a “terrorist entity.”
FFIRI President Mehdi Taj was refused entry into Canada for the Fifa Congress in late April due to his hyperlinks to the elite army pressure.
Iran are scheduled to kick off their marketing campaign towards New Zealand on June 15.
