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Thousands cheered for Team Melli as Iran’s World Cup kits were unveiled at the team’s training camp in Turkey.
Updated on May 14, 2026
Iran hosted its FIFA World Cup team’s departure meeting, witnessed by thousands of fans in Tehran’s Enqelab Square, amid concerns about the team traveling to the United States to compete.
The players drew cheers from the crowd as they delivered patriotic speeches on Wednesday.
Iran’s 2026 World Cup kit was also unveiled at the event, after which the team will travel to Turkey to continue preparations for the training camp.
“This is the best output in the last four World Cup campaigns,” Mehdi Taj, president of the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran (FFIRI), told state TV.
“The players are with people, and the crowd is standing with honor, respect, and national power. In any case, the Iranian flag should be raised there and protected.”
Iran’s participation in the World Cup has been in doubt since the US and Israel attacked Iran, starting a regional war on February 28.
FFIRI delegation, led by Tajthey returned to Toronto airport, citing their support for Canadian immigration, and missed the FIFA meeting before the World Cup in Vancouver. They said “unacceptable behavior by immigration officials” despite having valid visas.
In 2024, Canada listed Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization, and the Canadian government said Taj was denied entry because of his ties to the IRGC.
The incident caused it fear there may be an issue to some of the Iranian delegations arriving in the US.
As in Canada, the IRGC is called a “terrorist organization” in the US, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said that no one with ties to the organization can enter the country.
Iran did position imposed taking players and team officials to the US, where Team Melli is preparing to play three World Cup group games, firmly in the hands of FIFA.
“At the moment nothing has arrived about visas. We hope that this will be taken care of at this time,” Hedayat Mombeini, FFIRI’s secretary general, told state TV at the meeting.
“FIFA has made promises, and hopefully these promises will bring results, and the players will receive their visas in time.”
Iran will play Gambia in the World Cup warm-up match in Antalya on May 29. Mombeini said that FFIRI is planning to prepare another friendly for the training camp in Turkey.
