Iran's national football team players and members of their delegation leave the US Embassy in Ankara after submitting their visa applications ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, on May 21, 2026. The Iranian football federation vice-president said on May 20, 2026 he was "very confident" in FIFA's protocols as the team prepare to play at the World Cup in the United States. The players are to stay several weeks before heading to the World Cup that is being co-hosted by the US, which began bombing Iran on February 28 alongside Israel, sparking a wider war in the Middle East. (Photo by Adem ALTAN / AFP via Getty Images)