Tuesday, May 12, 2026 - Iran has reportedly issued a list of demands to FIFA and the United States government before agreeing to participate in the 2026 World Cup amid mounting political tensions surrounding the tournament.
The Iranian Football Federation (FFIRI) said the national
side would take part 'without any retreat from our beliefs, culture and
convictions'.
It also warned that tournament organizers and host nations
'must take our concerns into account'.
The statement comes after federation president Mehdi Taj was
refused entry into Canada ahead of last month’s FIFA Congress, in a move that
has intensified fears over how Iranian officials and players could be treated
during the competition.
Taj later disclosed that Iran had submitted 10 separate
conditions to FIFA ahead of the expanded tournament, which gets underway on
June 11 across the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
Among the key requests are guarantees that every member of
the Iranian delegation - including players, coaching staff, and officials -
will be granted visas to travel freely between host nations during the
competition.
That issue is particularly sensitive because some members of
the delegation are understood to have completed military service linked to
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), an organisation designated as
a terrorist group by both Canada and the United States.
Taj’s reported connections to the IRGC were cited as one of
the reasons Canadian authorities blocked his entry before the FIFA gathering.
Iran is also seeking formal assurances over how the team
will be treated throughout the tournament, including guarantees surrounding the
Iranian flag and national anthem, along with heightened security protection at
airports, hotels, and stadiums.
However, several of Tehran’s demands are beyond FIFA’s
authority, as issues involving visas, border entry and security screenings are
governed by US immigration and national security laws rather than football
regulations.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has already said Iranian
footballers would be permitted to compete at the World Cup, though he warned
that individuals with ties to the IRGC could still encounter restrictions when
attempting to enter the country.
The situation leaves FIFA caught between guaranteeing the
participation of qualified nations and navigating increasingly fraught
relations between Tehran and Washington.
Israel and the US carried out large-scale strikes on Iran on
February 28, prompting retaliatory attacks by Iran on Israel and Gulf states
allied to Washington.
In March, Iran then claimed it would not take part in the
FIFA World Cup, citing safety concerns after the strikes.
Trump said at the time that Iran would be 'welcome' at the
tournament, though he signalled he felt they should not be involved 'for their
own life and safety'.
0 Comments