Iran's national football team attended visa appointments in Turkey ahead of the World Cup, with the entire squad applying for Canadian visas and some players also submitting applications for entry into the United States.

A number of players submitted applications in the Turkish capital Ankara on Thursday, an Iranian football federation official told Reuters. Some players who had not applied for US visas before the US and Israeli regime attacked Iran in February also submitted their applications in person at the embassy.

Several foreign-based Iranian players joined the squad in Ankara before traveling to the team's training camp in Antalya on Turkey's Mediterranean coast.

The World Cup will be co-hosted by the US regime, Canada, and Mexico. Iran is scheduled to play all three group-stage matches on the US West Coast: against New Zealand on June 15 in Los Angeles, Belgium on June 21, and Egypt on June 26 in Seattle. They would require access to Canada if they progress to the knockout rounds.

Iran is holding a pre-tournament camp in Turkey following the suspension of the Iranian domestic league in March, leaving many players short of match fitness. Coach Amir Ghalenoei is trying to prepare his squad after most domestic-based players went seven weeks without competitive football.

Iran qualified early for the expanded 48-team World Cup, but preparations have been overshadowed by uncertainty over travel and security arrangements following the US-Israeli regime's war on Iran. The Iranian football federation had previously said US visa applications would be handled in Turkey after discussions with FIFA.

Iran is due to play Gambia in a friendly on May 29 before Ghalenoei names his final 26-man World Cup squad by FIFA's June 1 deadline.

Source: www.aljazeera.com