Iran: Iran Football Federation chief Mehdi Taj said on Wednesday that he plans to meet FIFA president Gianni Infantino in the coming days to seek assurances that Iran will be treated with respect during the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States.
The development comes amid growing political tensions and concerns within Iran’s football administration regarding the country’s participation in the tournament.
Taj’s proposed discussions with FIFA follow an incident last week in which Canadian authorities reportedly denied him entry due to his past links with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), an organisation designated as a terrorist entity by both the United States and Canada.
Concerns grow over World Cup participation
The controversy has intensified uncertainty surrounding Iran national football team, commonly known as Team Melli, which is scheduled to be based in the United States during the World Cup.
Iran are expected to play all three of their group-stage matches in the US, making travel arrangements, visas, and diplomatic coordination highly significant ahead of the tournament.
Speaking to Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB in Tehran, Taj stated that Iran could reconsider participating in the tournament if FIFA failed to provide guarantees regarding what he described as respectful treatment towards the country and its institutions.
“We will tell FIFA what our expectations are. If they can address them, we will definitely participate,” Taj said.
“But if there is no guarantee, then no one has the right to insult us or the pillars of our system. If this path of disrespect continues, we may make a different decision,” he added.
Political tensions add pressure
The issue has introduced a diplomatic dimension to Iran’s World Cup preparations at a time when geopolitical tensions involving the country remain high.
Recent tensions escalated further following the conflict triggered by reported US and Israeli air strikes on Iran in late February.
Iranian officials have argued that sporting participation should remain free from political interference and that host nations have obligations under FIFA regulations to facilitate participation by all qualified teams.
On Wednesday, Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei publicly supported Taj’s position.
“Our national football team is not simply travelling to the United States, it is going there to participate in the FIFA World Cup,” Baghaei told reporters in Tehran.
“Host governments have a clear obligation under FIFA regulations to provide the necessary arrangements and visas without political motives,” he added.
Preparations continue despite uncertainty
Despite the diplomatic concerns, Iran’s football preparations for the tournament are continuing.
Taj confirmed that Iran would announce a preliminary 30-member squad later this week before reducing it to the final 26-player squad following a training camp in Turkey.
Head coach Amir Ghalenoei stated that the team intends to arrive in the United States approximately two weeks before the tournament begins.
However, officials acknowledged that preparations have faced complications, particularly regarding warm-up matches. According to reports, several teams have withdrawn from planned friendly matches at short notice.
Iran set to open campaign against New Zealand
Iran are scheduled to begin their World Cup campaign against New Zealand national football team in Los Angeles on June 15.
The team’s tournament base is expected to be in Tucson during the competition.
For now, Iran’s preparations remain divided between football planning and diplomatic negotiations as federation officials seek clarity and guarantees from FIFA regarding the country’s participation conditions.
FIFA discussions expected to be crucial
Sports analysts believe the upcoming discussions between Taj and Infantino could play an important role in easing tensions and ensuring smooth participation for Iran during the World Cup.
The situation also highlights the increasing intersection of international politics and global sporting events, particularly when tournaments are hosted by countries involved in broader geopolitical disputes.
While Iran continue preparations on the field, federation officials appear focused on securing assurances that political disagreements will not affect the team’s treatment during the tournament.
Further developments are expected following Taj’s proposed meeting with FIFA officials.