The Iran National Football Team is preparing for the FIFA World Cup 2026 despite facing numerous challenges. Mehdi Taj, the president of the Iran Football Federation, announced that the team's Mexican visa has been issued. However, the team's US visa has not been issued yet, and there are concerns about the high crime rate in the city where the team will be staying. Iran was one of the first teams to qualify for the World Cup, but its participation in the tournament has been uncertain since February due to the US and Israeli airstrikes on the country. Mehdi Taj stated that the team cannot participate in the tournament without a US visa. The team has been training in Antalya, Turkey, and has played three friendly matches, losing to Nigeria and winning against Costa Rica and Gambia. Mohammad Gharbani, a player on the team, said: «We are facing difficult conditions, but we are football players and we must play, train, and prepare for the upcoming matches. We know that our people have been through a lot during this war, and we want to make them happy by achieving the best results.» Saeid Ezatolahi, another player on the team, commented on the psychological pressure caused by the political developments, saying: «The conditions will be tough for us; we are following the news of our country and the political issues can affect the players' and people's minds. But we all wish for peace for all people in the world. I hope this situation will end soon and all people can live in peace and tranquility together.»