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Iran Faces Disruptive Visa Row Ahead of World Cup

Published

5 months ago

June 8, 2026

Iran World Cup visa row escalates as US entry restrictions and visa denials disrupt preparations ahead of the 2026 tournament

Iran’s national football team and its governing officials are facing a major disruption to their World Cup preparations after a diplomatic visa row with the United States forced changes to their base and left several key personnel unable to obtain entry permits ahead of the tournament.

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Iran hit by World Cup visa controversy has intensified after the squad relocated to Tijuana, Mexico, abandoning plans to remain in Tucson, Arizona, amid uncertainty over US travel conditions and rising political tensions between Tehran and Washington.

Iran’s ambassador to Mexico, Abolfazl Pasandideh, confirmed that the team had been informed of strict entry conditions, stating that players would only be permitted to enter the United States on match days and must leave the country immediately afterwards.

“We can enter in the morning and we must leave the same day,” Pasandideh said, highlighting the severity of the restrictions placed on the team’s movements during the tournament.

United States officials, however, maintained that all players and essential support staff had been granted visas ahead of Iran’s opening Group G fixture against New Zealand in Los Angeles on 16 June, insisting that entry procedures were consistent with security requirements.

Officials further stated that Iran would not be allowed to misuse the system, alleging concerns over potential abuse of travel permissions under the guise of sporting participation.

Iranian authorities have strongly rejected the claims, with the country’s embassy in Turkey accusing Washington of “politically biased interference in sport” and confirming that a significant number of managerial and technical staff had been denied visas.

According to Iranian state-linked reports, around 15 officials have been affected, including senior figures within the national football federation, such as its president, deputy and media director.

The escalating dispute has prompted Iran to call on FIFA to intervene, arguing that the restrictions undermine the neutrality and integrity of international football competitions.

The Iran World Cup visa row has overshadowed what was expected to be a focused build-up to the tournament, which will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico starting on 11 June.

Despite the off-field uncertainty, Iran secured qualification in March 2025 after finishing top of their qualifying group and are scheduled to face New Zealand in Los Angeles before further Group G matches against Belgium in California and Egypt in Seattle.

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Football analysts say the ongoing diplomatic tension could pose logistical and psychological challenges for the squad as it attempts to maintain focus on on-field performance amid growing off-field uncertainty.

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EFCC Arraigns Two Lovers Over Alleged N35.9m Theft

Published

2 hours ago

October 22, 2026

Peculiar Adirika

The EFCC N35.9m theft case involves two young lovers accused of allegedly transferring money from a woman’s account in Edo State.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) has arraigned two young lovers, Marian Elia, 19, and Izuchukwu Uzoma, 21, over the alleged theft of N35.92m belonging to a woman, Mrs Esther Ogbeifun, in Benin City, Edo State.

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The commission disclosed this in a statement published on its official X account on Wednesday, stating that its Benin Zonal Directorate brought the defendants before Justice C.A. Obiozor of the Federal High Court.

According to the EFCC, the pair face a seven-count charge bordering on cybercrime, conspiracy and stealing.

The commission alleged that Elia, who grew up in Ogbeifun’s household, had access to the woman’s mobile phones and banking information, which she allegedly used to transfer funds into an account belonging to Uzoma, her boyfriend.

“Investigation by the Commission revealed that Elia, who grew up in the house of the victim, had access to her phones and bank information and allegedly executed a transfer of the said sum from the victim’s account into that of Uzoma, her boyfriend,” the statement said.

The EFCC further alleged that the defendants converted the money to their personal use.

One of the charges accused Elia of using Ogbeifun’s Moniepoint personal banking application to transfer a total of N35,920,000 into an account operated by Uzoma at United Bank for Africa.

The alleged transactions reportedly occurred between March 8 and July 29, 2026, in Benin, Edo State.

The charge cited Section 33(2)(c) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act 2015, as amended in 2024.

Both defendants pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to them in court.

Following their pleas, prosecution counsel, I.M. Elodi, asked the court to schedule the case for trial and remand the defendants in a correctional facility.

Justice Obiozor subsequently ordered that Elia and Uzoma be remanded at the Benin Correctional Centre in Benin City.

The court adjourned the case until December 7 for hearing.