Iran has announced that it will not take part in next week’s official draw for the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Cup finals scheduled to be held in Washington, District of Columbia, United States of America, following a dispute over visa approvals. The Iranian Football Federation stated that the refusal of the United States authorities to issue visas to several officials had made their participation impossible. Okay News reports.
The federation’s spokesperson informed Iran’s state television that the matter was unrelated to sporting issues, stressing that the governing body had notified the Fédération Internationale de Football Association about the country’s decision. According to the spokesperson, “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.”
Earlier in the week, Varzesh 3, a well-known Iranian sports media platform, revealed that the United States had declined visa requests for a number of key officials, including the President of the Iranian Football Federation, Mehdi Taj. The development immediately heightened diplomatic tensions that have historically existed between Washington and Tehran since their fallout more than forty years ago.
Mehdi Taj, who had previously led delegations to global football summits, described the visa refusal as a political act. He said on Thursday, “We have told the head of FIFA mister (Gianni) Infantino, that it is purely a political position and that FIFA must tell them (United States) to desist from this behaviour.” His remarks were aimed at urging the Fédération Internationale de Football Association leadership to intervene and ensure political neutrality in Football World Cup activities.
Despite the setback, Varzesh 3 confirmed that four members of Iran’s delegation, including national team coach Amir Ghalenoei, had received their visas for the December 5 draw. This partial approval, however, did not satisfy the broader concerns expressed by Iranian officials.
Iran qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup after securing their place in March, marking their fourth consecutive appearance and seventh total participation in the global football tournament. Although the team has never advanced beyond the group stages, the country still celebrates its historic 2-1 victory over the United States in the 1998 France edition, a match symbolic of sports diplomacy. The United States later claimed a 1-0 win against Iran during the 2022 tournament in Qatar.
The diplomatic rift appears connected to ongoing political tensions between the two nations. Recent developments include high-level nuclear discussions between Tehran and Washington that began in April but stalled in mid-June after an unprecedented airstrike by Israel on Iranian territory. The incident escalated into a twelve-day conflict during which the United States briefly participated in coordinated strikes targeting Iranian nuclear facilities.
Iran’s boycott adds uncertainty to the already complex organization of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, an event that will be co-hosted by the United States of America, Canada, and Mexico. Observers are watching closely to see whether FIFA will respond to Iran’s objections or attempt mediation before the tournament schedule is finalised.
