Iran has confirmed that its national football team will participate in the 2026 FIFA World Cup tournament, but the country has demanded that the joint host nations, the United States, Mexico and Canada, meet certain conditions amid the ongoing Middle East crisis.
The controversy deepened after Canadian authorities denied entry to Iran Football Federation president, Mehdi Taj, last month over alleged ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which Canada designated as a terrorist organisation.
Questions had earlier emerged over Iran’s involvement in the tournament following the outbreak of conflict in the Middle East earlier this year after military actions involving the United States and Israel.
Despite the tensions, Iran’s football federation maintained that the country remained committed to competing at the World Cup while preserving its values and identity.
“Iran will surely play in the World Cup but will not give up its beliefs, culture, or national identity,” the federation stated.
According to Mehdi Taj, Iran has presented 10 conditions ahead of the competition, including demands for enhanced security measures at airports, hotels, and routes leading to stadiums.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Iranian players would be permitted to enter the United States for the tournament. However, he noted that officials allegedly connected to the IRGC could still face visa limitations.
Iran has also requested visas for players and staff who previously completed compulsory military service with the IRGC, including Mehdi Taremi and Ehsan Hajsafi.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has meanwhile confirmed that Iran’s matches scheduled to be played in the United States will proceed as planned.
Iran, who were expected to set up camp in Tucson, Arizona, have been drawn in Group G alongside New Zealand, Belgium and Egypt.
Their opening fixture will be against New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15.
The Iranian federation further stressed that no external force should prevent the country from participating in a tournament for which it qualified on merit.
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