"The Iranian soccer federation will not attend the 2026 FIFA World Cup draw on Friday in Washington, D.C., as a form of protest against the allocation of United States visas for its delegation. Iran qualified for the World Cup, which is hosted largely by the US, with a number of games, including the Final, to be held at MetLife Stadium just outside of New York, back in March."
"It was during the 2025 AFC final against Uzbekistan that FIFA president Gianni Infantino guaranteed that Iranian representation would not encounter any issues obtaining the necessary visas to enter the country, whether for the draw or the tournament, which spans from June to July. However, Iran's delegation was only granted four visas to attend the draw, and one was not issued to the president of its soccer federation, Mehdi Taj."
"Tensions between the United States and Iran have been elevated for years, and in June, President Donald Trump signed an executive order banning nationals from 12 countries from entering the country, Iran being one of those included nations. The executive order was intended to provide exemptions for athletes and team management traveling to the US for the World Cup this summer and the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles."
Iran will not attend the 2026 World Cup draw in Washington, D.C., to protest the allocation of United States visas to its delegation. Iran qualified for the 2026 tournament, which is hosted largely by the US with several matches and the Final at MetLife Stadium near New York. FIFA president Gianni Infantino had guaranteed that Iranian representatives would not face visa issues, but only four visas were issued for the draw and one was not given to federation president Mehdi Taj. Longstanding US–Iran tensions and a June executive order restricting entry for nationals of 12 countries, including Iran, are relevant. The executive order was intended to allow exemptions for athletes and team management for the World Cup and the 2028 Olympics. AmNewYork contacted the Iranian federation and FIFA for comment.
Read at www.amny.com
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