Iran World Cup squad lands in Antalya for training

ANTALYA

 Iran’s football team arrived in Türkiye on May 18 for a training camp and to complete visa applications ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

The 22 players and coaching staff in the “Team Melli” delegation flew into the Turkish resort city of Antalya, where they could be seen leaving the airport dressed in navy blue tracksuits.

The players were to stay several weeks before heading to the global tournament that is being co-hosted by the United States, which began bombing Iran on Feb. 28 alongside Israel, sparking war.

The team will be based in Arizona in the United States and play all three of their group matches there in spite of the war, which has been temporarily halted by a ceasefire since April 8.

But with negotiations in the doldrums, new weekend drone attacks on Gulf countries and fresh threats from U.S. President Donald Trump have heightened fears that fighting could resume.

The team is hoping to play two friendlies in Antalya, including one against The Gambia on May 29, according to Sam Mehdizadeh, an Iranian-Canadian who heads a company that sets up friendlies for the team and is working to set up a second match.

Iran and the U.S. cut diplomatic ties in 1980 and the players will use their time in Türkiye to complete visa applications, head coach Amir Ghalenoei said on May 16.

Iran secured their spot at the World Cup in March 2025, but since then, Washington has twice launched intensive bombing attacks on the country.

U.S. officials have insisted Iran is welcome at the tournament, while FIFA has rejected Iranian suggestions that their games be moved to co-hosts Mexico or Canada.

Last month, officials from Iran’s football federation abandoned a trip to the FIFA congress in Canada, saying they had been “insulted” by Canadian immigration officers.

Federation chief Mehdi Taj, who is with the delegation, is a former member of the Revolutionary Guards — branded by Washington as a terror group, which is also blacklisted by Canada.

FIFA secretary general Mattias Grafstrom met with Taj and the Iranian federation in Istanbul at the weekend, describing the talks as constructive.