Iran’s national soccer team, currently training in Tijuana, Mexico, will be able to enter the U.S. the day before each of their three World Cup matches, the Department of Homeland ​Security said on Tuesday.

Media reports over the weekend had quoted the Iranian ‌ambassador to Mexico, Abolfazl Pasandideh, as saying that Iran’s team would have to enter and leave the U.S. the same day as they were playing, raising questions over logistics and whether it would ​affect team performance.

It was not the case that Iran would be forced to ​arrive the same day as their matches, a Department of Homeland ⁠Security spokesperson said.

“These statements are untrue,” the spokesperson said in a statement. “Thanks to the ​generosity of President (Donald) Trump, the Iranian team will be able to arrive the day before ​their matches.”

The ambassador, speaking to Reuters in Tijuana via an interpreter on Monday, criticised U.S. officials for denying visas to some of the Iranian football federation staff but said that the ones that ​had been granted did not prevent them from staying overnight.

“Their visas don’t specify anything ​about them having to leave at a certain time,” he said.

After weeks of uncertainty, the U.S. awarded visas ‌to ⁠all the players on Friday, just 10 days before their first match.

But several members of the Iranian squad were not given visas, including “key managerial and administrative members,” according to Iran’s football federation. They include the team manager, two team analysts, the media director and ​a representative of the ​Foreign Ministry, according ⁠to Iran’s embassy in Mexico.

Iran is due to face New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15, Belgium in Los Angeles on ​June 21 and Egypt in Seattle on June 26. The ​players were ⁠originally slated to train in Arizona, but that was changed after the U.S. and Israel launched a war against Iran in February.

Trump said in March that Iran was welcome to participate in the ⁠World ​Cup but that he did not believe it was ​appropriate for Iran’s team to stay in the U.S. “for their own life and safety.”

-Reuters

 

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FIFA has expressed disappointment over the inability of Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan to participate in the FIFA World Cup after United States immigration authorities denied him entry into the country.

The world football governing body confirmed on Monday that Artan, who had been selected among the match officials for the tournament, would be unable to join the World Cup refereeing team after efforts to resolve his immigration status proved unsuccessful.

“FIFA is not involved in host country immigration processes, including visa adjudications, and has been informed by authorities that Mr Artan’s status will not be changed at present,” a FIFA spokesperson said.

The decision means Artan, who was poised to become the first Somali referee to officiate at a World Cup match, will miss the competition that kicks off on Thursday in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Sources familiar with the situation said FIFA had been in contact with relevant authorities after learning of the referee’s predicament but was ultimately informed that the decision would stand.

Artan arrived at Miami International Airport from Istanbul on Saturday and was denied entry after undergoing additional inspection by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

In a statement, CBP said a Somali national was deemed inadmissible because of vetting concerns, though it did not disclose specific details.

The incident has left FIFA without one of Africa’s most respected referees. Artan’s stock has risen significantly in recent years, culminating in his recognition as the Confederation of African Football’s Best Male Referee for 2025.

Last month, he took charge of the second leg of the CAF Champions League final in Morocco, one of the continent’s most prestigious club fixtures.

Despite the setback, Artan struck a positive note in a statement released after the decision.

“I would like to thank FIFA and CAF for all their support, and I promise to keep my refereeing levels up as I concentrate on the future,” he said.

“I want to thank the football family for their messages and wish my colleagues all the best of luck during the World Cup, and I look forward to joining them again in future competitions.”

The episode has drawn attention to immigration issues surrounding major international sporting events hosted by the United States. The Trump administration’s travel restrictions on citizens from several countries, including Somalia, had already prompted concerns among some stakeholders ahead of the tournament.

FIFA, however, reiterated that immigration matters remain the responsibility of national authorities and emphasized that it has no role in determining the admissibility of individuals entering host countries.

With the tournament set to begin this week, FIFA is expected to proceed with its officiating roster without Artan, while the Somali official turns his attention to future international assignments.

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England defender Djed Spence is set to take a page from Victor Osimhen’s playbook at the FIFA World Cup, revealing that he will wear a protective face mask throughout the tournament after suffering a broken jaw in the closing weeks of the Premier League season.

The Tottenham Hotspur defender joins a growing list of players who have continued competing while masked, most notably Nigeria’s star striker Victor Osimhen, whose black protective mask has become one of football’s most recognisable accessories since a serious facial injury suffered during his time at Napoli.

Spence sustained the injury in a collision with Chelsea forward Liam Delap last month but remains determined to play a full part in England’s World Cup campaign.

“It’s a little bit uncomfortable, but it is what it is,” Spence told reporters on Monday.

“I’ve got a broken jaw, so I have to wear it throughout the tournament. It’s something I will have to get used to. It’ll be three months until it’s fully healed, so it’s a long time.”

Like Osimhen, who returned to action wearing a mask after undergoing surgery for multiple facial fractures in 2021, Spence has shown little inclination to let the injury interrupt his football.

The defender even completed the match in which the injury occurred and later featured in Tottenham’s final league game against Everton while wearing the protective gear.

“It was painful, but luckily I play football with my feet and not my jaw. So I was all good,” Spence added.

Osimhen’s mask has become synonymous with resilience and determination. Since adopting it, the Nigerian international has gone on to establish himself among Europe’s most feared strikers, helping Napoli win the Serie A title and becoming a symbol of perseverance in the face of adversity.

Spence now hopes the mask will similarly prove no obstacle as England pursue World Cup glory in North America.

England begin their campaign against Croatia in Dallas on June 17 before facing Ghana and Panama in the remaining Group D fixtures.

While Spence’s protective gear may not yet be as iconic as Osimhen’s, the England defender will be hoping it brings the same good fortune that has accompanied the Nigerian striker’s remarkable rise over the past few years.

 

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