Iranian Football Team Begins World Cup Journey by Kissing Holy Quran

As teams across the world travel to the United States ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026, Iran’s national football team marked the start of their campaign in a distinctive way, with players seen kissing the Holy Quran before departing for the tournament.

A video that has gone viral on social media shows Iranian players touching and kissing copies of the Quran before boarding their World Cup-bound flight. Supporters holding Iranian flags were seen cheering in the background as the team prepared to leave by bus for the airport.

Iran has overcome a major hurdle on its road to the North American-hosted tournament after its players were reportedly granted visas to enter the United States and participate in the World Cup. A U.S. official confirmed the development earlier this week.

As part of their preparations, the Iranian squad is currently holding a training camp in Antalya, Turkey. From there, the team submitted its visa applications through the U.S. Embassy in Turkey. U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack confirmed the process in a post on social media platform X.

However, Iranian state television reported that visa applications for some members of the delegation were rejected. According to the report, the United States refused visas for 15 members of Iran’s official World Cup delegation. The claim was made by a state TV correspondent reporting from Antalya.

Iran’s state broadcaster also noted uncertainty regarding whether all applicants were affected by the decision.

The FIFA World Cup 2026, jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, is scheduled to begin on June 11. Iran is expected to play its group-stage matches in the United States, requiring the team to travel between venues during the tournament.

Despite the reported visa complications, the Iranian team has already arrived in Mexico as part of its preparation schedule, while final logistical arrangements for matches in the United States remain ongoing.