Iran’s football federation has denied reports that three national team players have had their US visa applications rejected for the 2026 World Cup, Al Jazeera reports.

The federation said in a statement published by the Tasnim news agency that claims regarding the rejection of visas for defenders Shoja Khalilzadeh and Ehsan Hajsafi, as well as forward Mehdi Taremi, were “false”, adding that the administrative process for obtaining visas had been carried out according to procedure.

First vice president of Iran’s Football Federation, Mahdi Mohammadnabi, addresses the media during a training session at the Iranian team’s base camp in Antalya on May 19, 2026. —AFP
First vice president of Iran’s Football Federation, Mahdi Mohammadnabi, addresses the media during a training session at the Iranian team’s base camp in Antalya on May 19, 2026. —AFP

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