Iran team chief slams FIFA’s ‘lack of coordination’ on visa issues

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has failed to deliver on promises to secure full access for the Iranian soccer federation to attend the team’s three games in the United States, Iran’s World Cup team supervisor tells Reuters.

Mahdi Mohammad Nabi, who also served as Iran’s supervisor in charge of squad operations at the 2018 and 2022 World Cups in Russia and Qatar, is among 15 Iranian soccer federation members denied a visa to travel to the US for the World Cup games.

He speaks to Reuters on Thursday evening, a day after Infantino gave a free-wheeling press conference in Mexico City in which he celebrated Iran’s participation in the tournament as proof of his organization’s success in navigating complex political issues.

“We hope Mr. Infantino will indeed implement the words and promises he made to the Iran national team,” Nabi tells Reuters on Thursday.

“The FIFA regulations and protocols must be properly followed by both member federations and hosts.”

FIFA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The US State Department says the visas had been rejected because it “will not allow the Iranian team to abuse this system to sneak terrorists into the US under false pretenses.”