Team Melli To Play Friendlies, Process US Visas Before Travelling To America
Iran has confirmed that its national team squad will depart for Turkey on Monday to begin final preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with players expected to participate in training sessions, friendly matches and visa processing ahead of travelling to the United States.
Head coach Amir Ghalenoei announced the development on Saturday, revealing that Team Melli would camp in Antalya, Turkey, as part of preparations for the tournament.
The Iranian national team had previously used Antalya earlier this year for training activities and friendly matches during their March international break.
Iran will travel with a provisional 30-man squad, although the team will later reduce the number to the official FIFA limit of 26 players before the tournament begins.
Among the biggest names included in the squad is experienced striker Mehdi Taremi, the 33-year-old former Porto forward who currently plays for Greek club Olympiacos.
Speaking about the squad selection, Ghalenoei admitted that choosing the final group of players was one of the toughest decisions of his coaching career.
According to him, every player selected for the training camp earned their place strictly based on technical performance and footballing ability.
Iran is also expected to play two friendly matches during the Turkey camp as part of efforts to fine-tune preparations before the World Cup.
One of the matches has already been confirmed against Gambia on May 29.
Officials explained that the Turkey trip would also serve another important purpose, as Iranian players are expected to complete procedures required for obtaining visas to enter the United States.
Iran and the United States have not maintained diplomatic relations since 1980, making visa arrangements for the tournament more complicated than usual.
The head of the Iranian Football Federation, Mehdi Taj, disclosed that none of the players had received visas yet as of Thursday.
According to him, members of the squad are expected to undergo fingerprinting and other immigration procedures while in Turkey.
However, Taj explained that the team hopes to avoid making the long trip from Antalya to Ankara during the process.
The federation president is also expected to hold discussions with FIFA President Gianni Infantino regarding assurances and arrangements for the Iranian squad amid growing international tensions linked to ongoing global conflicts.
Once visa procedures are completed, Iran will establish its World Cup training base in Tucson, Arizona, ahead of the competition in the United States.
Iran will begin its World Cup campaign against New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15 before facing Belgium in the same city.
Their final Group G match will be played against Egypt in Seattle.
AFP
