Iran's Mehdi Torabi Visa Issue Resolved Ahead of FIFA World Cup Matches
Visa Concerns for Mehdi Torabi
The FIFA World Cup journey for Iran faced a temporary setback due to a visa complication involving veteran winger Mehdi Torabi. This raised alarms about the potential absence of one of Team Melli's key players during critical matches. A representative from the US State Department indicated that Torabi had initially received only a single-entry visa prior to Iran's first match against New Zealand. In contrast, the rest of the team was granted multiple-entry visas that would remain valid throughout the tournament. Consequently, Torabi's visa lapsed after he entered the United States.
This situation led to uncertainty, as Iran's national team is stationed in Tijuana, Mexico, and needs to travel to the US for their matches before returning to their training camp. With his visa expired, there was a risk that Torabi might not be able to re-enter the US for the upcoming group-stage games against Belgium and Egypt. Fortunately, the State Department confirmed that the issue has been addressed. 'Once we learned of the situation, we took immediate action to ensure the player could participate in all matches,' a State Department official stated.
The visa incident gained attention due to Torabi's status as one of Iran's top football talents. The 31-year-old, who plays for Tractor FC, has an impressive record, having secured six Persian Gulf Pro League titles—five with Persepolis and one with Tractor FC during the 2024-25 season. Additionally, he has clinched two Hazfi Cups and several Iranian Super Cups, and was previously honored as the Iranian Young Player of the Year.
This development comes amid frustrations expressed by Iran's coaching staff regarding travel logistics during the tournament. Head coach Amir Ghalenoei shared with a media outlet that the team had to leave Los Angeles right after their 2-2 draw with New Zealand and return to Tijuana, which he described as challenging for player recovery and preparation.
Iran is set to compete against Belgium on June 21 in Los Angeles, followed by a match against Egypt in Seattle on June 26. With the visa matter resolved, Torabi is anticipated to be available for both encounters.