Iran has announced a dramatic boycott of the highly anticipated 2026 World Cup draw, scheduled for next week in Washington DC, after the United States denied visas to key members of its football delegation.
Diplomatic Obstacles Overshadow Sporting Event
The decision was confirmed by the state-run IRNA news agency, which quoted Iranian soccer federation spokesman Amir-Mahdi Alavi. He stated that officials faced visa obstacles that go beyond sports considerations, suggesting a political dimension to the refusals. The White House has not provided an immediate comment on the situation.
In response to the crisis, the Iranian federation has reached out to FIFA, football's global governing body, hoping for its intervention to resolve the issue. At the time of reporting, FIFA had not replied to requests for comment.
The Shadow of the US Travel Ban
The visa denials occur against the backdrop of a travel ban instituted by former President Donald Trump's administration in June. The policy restricts citizens from 12 countries, including Iran and Haiti, the latter having recently qualified for the World Cup.
While the Trump administration did promise exemptions for 'any athlete or member of an athletic team, including coaches, persons performing a necessary support role, and immediate relatives, traveling for the World Cup, Olympics, or other major sporting event', it remains unclear if these assurances apply to the World Cup draw itself, which is set for December 5 at the Kennedy Center.
Significant Implications for a Key Football Figure
The Iranian delegation was expected to be led by Mehdi Taj, the president of the Iranian football federation. Taj is a major figure in Asian football, serving as one of the vice presidents of the Asian Football Confederation. Crucially, he is also a member of two FIFA committees that have direct oversight of the World Cup, making his absence from the draw particularly significant.
The 2026 World Cup, co-hosted by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico from June 11 to July 19, will be the largest in history, featuring a record 48 teams. Other nations affected by the US travel ban that have qualified or may qualify include Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Congo-Brazzaville, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.
The Trump administration had previously justified the ban on Iran by claiming the country is 'the source of significant terrorism around the world' and has 'historically failed to accept back its removable nationals.' Despite these political tensions, FIFA vice president Victor Montagliani had previously sought to reassure stakeholders, stating, 'We already have assurances from all three governments that teams that qualify will be allowed to come in and participate.' This latest incident, however, casts doubt on the smooth integration of sport and international policy.
