When Iran qualified for the FIFA World Cup last March, the men’s national team did not expect that their spot would only be confirmed at the last minute after visas were granted by the host nation, the United States.
Iranian fans, who enthusiastically support Team Melli, also did not expect to be banned from entering the country by the United States. Last June, President Donald Trump signed an executive order suspending visa issuance to some countries, including Iran, that the United States has designated as a “state sponsor of terrorism.”
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Perhaps most unexpectedly for Iranians, the host country of the world’s biggest sporting event would go to war against them just months before the tournament began.
For Amir Galenoei’s side, the joint war between the United States and Israel was more than a wrench thrown into World Cup preparation plans. It was tangible and personal, as thousands of people across the country lost their lives to missile attacks.
It was the U.S. bombing of Azadi Stadium, home of several local matches and where the national team was practicing. It was a team of boys carrying small backpacks in memory of the students massacred in the US attack on Minab’s school on the day the war began.
After months of political conflict between the United States and Iran, the men’s national soccer team will play in the shadow of war as it moves its base camp to Mexico. That is if the US grants them visas in time.
Even without visa issues and war, traveling to the United States would have been “almost impossible” for Iranian soccer fans. There are no direct means of transportation between countries without formal diplomatic relations.
“Apart from visa issues, you have to take a two- or three-way route to get to the United States from Tehran,” said Ali, a fan who did not want to give his full name for security reasons.
He added: “Returning to Iran from the US is a big challenge in itself, and there is also the possibility of being arrested by the (Iranian) government.” The war has increased scrutiny of anti-national sentiment in Iran, resulting in the execution of people suspected of spying for Israel or the United States.
Political influence also extends to the field of sports. Iran’s top soccer player Sardar Azmoun was expelled from the national team in March after posting photos of his meeting with Dubai’s ruler Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum on social media, which was seen as an act of betrayal of the government. During the war, relations between the UAE and Iran were strained, with Iran repeatedly attacking the Emirates and accusing the United States of allowing its territory to be used for attacks on Iran.
The US war against Iran is also now nearing its 100th day, discouraging fans around the world from attending the World Cup.
“Soccer is called the beautiful game for a reason, it has the ability to bring people together,” South African soccer fan Byron Pillay told Al Jazeera.
“But when you consider politics and war rhetoric outside the arena, it’s hard to believe in its magic, especially when one of the tournament organizers is at the center of it.”
Compatriot Riaz Hameed expressed a similar opinion. “I don’t think it’s completely safe to participate, especially given America’s position on the treatment of domestic fans and immigrants.”
Reports from groups such as Human Rights Watch have heightened concerns. An asylum seeker who attended last year’s Club World Cup final in New Jersey with his children was reportedly arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and deported to his country of origin.
Kaylan Noor, an international sports lawyer based in Kenya, stressed that sport cannot be separated from wider geopolitical dimensions.
“If participation is shaped by geopolitical realities outside of the game itself, does that ultimately undermine the inclusive ideals that these tournaments claim to represent?” Nour said in an interview with Al Jazeera.
“Soccer is global, but global mobility is not. The World Cup is at the crossroads of these contradictions.”
A growing number of visa refusals is also scaring fans trying to attend the World Cup.
The United States has launched the FIFA Priority Appointment Scheduling System (PASS) to expedite visa interviews for fans who purchased tickets through FIFA. However, it does not guarantee a visa.
Last month, a group of about 150 Ghanaian soccer fans had their visa applications refused.
Godwin Ny Alma, 32, canceled his plans to travel to the World Cup for personal reasons, but he knew he might share the same fate as these compatriots. He also acknowledged that traveling to Toronto, Boston and Philadelphia to support the Black Stars is a huge logistical burden, on top of the cost of international flights and visas.
Ghanaian citizens must pay a fee of $185 to apply for a U.S. visa and $100 Canadian ($71) for a Canadian visa. Add these two together and the amount is equivalent to the monthly per capita income in Ghana.
Mr Noor questioned whether future FIFA host agreements should include obligations regarding accessibility and mobility before hosting rights are granted.
“If teams and fans from certain regions of the world face structural barriers even before they can participate, we risk undermining the spirit of broad inclusion that these tournaments aim to embody.”
He acknowledged that countries naturally have sovereign responsibilities for border control and national security, but that global sporting events often require exceptional frameworks.
Fans from 27 of the 48 countries heading to the World Cup will need a U.S. visa to apply for one, which costs between $185 and $435, equivalent to the wages the average person in many countries in the Global South earns in a few months.
Canada is slightly more visa-friendly, but Mexico remains the most accessible World Cup host country.
That is why South Africa chose to send a small group of supporters to Pachuca, Mexico, where they set up a base camp and played their two group stage matches.
Sahil Ebrahim is one of the “lucky few” in the delegation. After decades of cheering on Bafana Bafana from TV screens in Cape Town, Ebrahim attended the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
The 40-year-old is now heading to his second World Cup and will be watching the tournament opener live in Mexico City on June 11, when South Africa take on the hosts.
In contrast to the South African soccer team, whose departure was delayed by 24 hours due to visa deficiencies by the federation, Ebrahim said the sports ministry had done a “great job” in expediting visas with the Mexican embassy.
However, Ebrahim admitted that this process pales in comparison to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where Hiyacard centrally coordinates all visa, ticket and transport details for each fan.
South Africa’s friendly against Jamaica on Friday, June 5, will be behind closed doors, but Ebrahim and a group of supporters will be watching the 2010 Bafana legends take on Mexico in an exhibition game on Sunday. South Africa became the first African country to host the World Cup in 2010.
“Ultimately, major sporting events are successful because people participate, not just watch,” Noor said.
“The question is not who can watch the World Cup, but who can really attend the World Cup.”
