Iran's national football team has begun its journey to the 2026 FIFA World Cup with emotional scenes in Antalya, Turkey. Players were seen kissing the Quran, embracing teammates and staff, and bidding farewell before departing for Mexico, where Team Melli will establish its training base ahead of the tournament. The departure comes as Iran continues to navigate challenges linked to the ongoing regional conflict and reported U.S. visa issues affecting several federation officials and support staff. According to Iranian media reports, a number of football federation representatives had yet to receive visas for travel to the United States.