Iran says staff blocked from entering US after players given World Cup visas

Iranian officials have accused the United States of denying visas to what they describe as 'integral' technical staff members of their World Cup delegation, even as the US had previously announced that Iranian players would be permitted to enter the country. The dispute emerged within hours of the players receiving their visas, creating uncertainty over Iran's participation logistics ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The story was reported by BBC journalists Tabby Wilson and Sean Seddon.