Iran says its World Cup squad must enter, leave US soil on match day

Iran’s World Cup squad has been told it must enter and leave the US on the same day as its matches there, the Iranian envoy to Mexico told reporters on Sunday.

Due to the US-Israeli war with Tehran, Iran's World Cup team is now in Mexico, abandoning its original plans to train in Tucson, in the US state of Arizona.

"We can enter in the morning and we must leave the same day,” Ambassador Abolfazl Pasandideh told reporters, citing visa restrictions.

The Iranian squad is scheduled to play three group-stage matches in the US territory, including two matches in Los Angeles, California, and one match in Seattle, Washington.

Regional tensions have escalated after the US and Israel launched airstrikes on Iran in late February, triggering a cycle of retaliatory attacks that widened instability across the region.

Iran, in retaliation, subsequently launched strikes against Israel and targeted countries hosting US military bases, while also disrupting shipping through the strait, a critical route for global energy supplies.

A ceasefire later took effect, though diplomatic efforts to secure a broader agreement have continued.