IRAN IS TO boycott next week’s World Cup finals draw in Washington because the United States refused to grant visas to several members of the delegation.
An Iranian football federation spokesperson told state television: “We have informed FIFA that the decisions taken have nothing to do with sports and the members of the Iranian delegation will not participate in the World Cup draw.”
Iranian sports website Varzesh 3 had claimed on Tuesday that the United States had declined to issue visas to several members of the delegation, including the president of the federation, Mehdi Taj.
Advertisement
On Thursday, Taj had denounced the decision as being a political one.
“We have told the head of FIFA, mister (Gianni) Infantino, that it is purely a political position and that FIFA must tell them (US) to desist from this behaviour,” added Taj.
According to Varzesh 3, four members of the delegation, including Amir Ghalenoei, the coach, had been granted visas for the draw on 5 December.
The United States – which is co-hosting the World Cup with Canada and Mexico – and Iran have been at loggerheads for over four decades.
They had, though, been holding high-level nuclear talks between Tehran and Washington that had begun in April, during which the two sides were at odds over Iran’s right to enrich uranium – which Tehran defends as “inalienable”.
However, they ended when, in mid-June, Israel launched an unprecedented bombing campaign against Iran, triggering a 12-day war that the United States briefly joined with strikes on key Iranian nuclear facilities.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Close
13 Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic.
Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy
here
before taking part.
Iran to boycott 2026 World Cup draw over US visa row
IRAN IS TO boycott next week’s World Cup finals draw in Washington because the United States refused to grant visas to several members of the delegation.
An Iranian football federation spokesperson told state television: “We have informed FIFA that the decisions taken have nothing to do with sports and the members of the Iranian delegation will not participate in the World Cup draw.”
Iranian sports website Varzesh 3 had claimed on Tuesday that the United States had declined to issue visas to several members of the delegation, including the president of the federation, Mehdi Taj.
On Thursday, Taj had denounced the decision as being a political one.
“We have told the head of FIFA, mister (Gianni) Infantino, that it is purely a political position and that FIFA must tell them (US) to desist from this behaviour,” added Taj.
According to Varzesh 3, four members of the delegation, including Amir Ghalenoei, the coach, had been granted visas for the draw on 5 December.
The United States – which is co-hosting the World Cup with Canada and Mexico – and Iran have been at loggerheads for over four decades.
They had, though, been holding high-level nuclear talks between Tehran and Washington that had begun in April, during which the two sides were at odds over Iran’s right to enrich uranium – which Tehran defends as “inalienable”.
However, they ended when, in mid-June, Israel launched an unprecedented bombing campaign against Iran, triggering a 12-day war that the United States briefly joined with strikes on key Iranian nuclear facilities.
– © AFP 2025
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
2026 world cup diplomatic tensions Soccer