The president of the Iranian Football Federation (FFIRI), Mehdi Taj, has demanded guarantees from FIFA that the United States will not “insult” the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) when Iran travels to the 2026 FIFA World Cup next month.

Taj’s comments came after an Iranian football delegation, including senior FFIRI officials, abandoned a trip to Canada last week following what they described as disrespectful treatment by immigration officials while attempting to attend the FIFA Congress in Vancouver.

Although Taj initially claimed the delegation voluntarily returned home, Canada’s immigration minister later confirmed that Taj’s visa had been revoked mid-flight because of his alleged links to the IRGC, which Canada designated a terrorist organisation in 2024. The United States had taken a similar step five years earlier.

The IRGC is an elite military force tasked with safeguarding Iran’s Islamic system of government.

FIFA Secretary-General Mattias Grafstrom subsequently wrote to the Iranian federation expressing regret over the incident and invited FFIRI officials to Zurich on May 20 for discussions on Iran’s World Cup preparations.

Speaking to Iranian state broadcaster IRIB during a pro-government rally in Tehran, Taj said FIFA must provide clear assurances before Iran’s delegation travels to the United States for the tournament.

“We need a guarantee there, for our trip, that they have no right to insult the symbols of our system — especially the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps,” Taj said.

“This is something they must pay serious attention to. If there is such a guarantee and the responsibility is clearly assumed, then an incident like what happened in Canada will not happen again.”

The 2026 FIFA World Cup, scheduled from June 11 to July 19, will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. Iran are due to play two group-stage matches in Los Angeles and another in Seattle.

Last week, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington had no objection to Iranian players participating in the tournament but stressed that individuals with ties to the IRGC would not be admitted into the country.

Taj, who previously served as a senior IRGC official in Iran’s Isfahan Province before entering football administration, warned that Iran’s delegation could refuse entry into the United States if adequate assurances are not provided.

“We are going to the World Cup, for which we qualified, and our host is FIFA — not Mr Trump or America,” he said.

“If they accept hosting us, then they must also accept that they must not insult our military institutions in any way.”

Iran’s World Cup participation has faced additional uncertainty following recent military tensions involving the United States, Israel and Iran. Despite the political backdrop, Iran’s domestic league players are currently in a training camp in Tehran, preparing for the tournament after the suspension of the country’s top-flight league.

Taj added that the FFIRI hopes to arrange at least one high-profile friendly match in neighbouring Turkey as part of preparations for the World Cup.

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Morocco has taken a major step in its build-up to the 2026 FIFA World Cup by officially establishing its training base in the United States, with New Jersey confirmed as the home of the Atlas Lions during the tournament.

The announcement, made in Basking Ridge, saw New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill alongside Morocco’s Ambassador to the United States, Youssef Amrani, unveil The Pingry School as Morocco’s permanent base camp.

The choice of Pingry is a strategic move by the North African side to secure top-level preparation conditions ahead of the expanded global tournament.

The facility, which previously served as a training site during the 1994 FIFA World Cup, has been extensively upgraded, with renovations completed in 2025. It now boasts two international-standard grass pitches and a modern athletics centre tailored to elite performance.

Morocco’s decision comes as the team gears up for a high-profile opening fixture against Brazil on June 13 at MetLife Stadium. This is one of the key venues for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Beyond logistics, the selection carries cultural and symbolic weight. Governor Sherrill highlighted New Jersey’s sizeable Moroccan community, estimated at nearly 10,000 residents, as a crucial factor, describing the state as a “home away from home” for the Atlas Lions.

Historically, the Kingdom of Morocco was the first country to recognise the United States after the American continent-sized nation’s independence 250 years ago.

Morocco’s Camp Base at The Pingry School in New Jersey

In the lead-up to the decision of picking the Moroccan camp base, Ambassador Amrani undertook a detailed inspection of facilities and held high-level consultations with officials from New York City’s Mayor’s Office.

Discussions focused on coordinating security arrangements, managing media operations, and ensuring smooth hospitality services for the Moroccan delegation during the tournament.

Amrani praised the collaboration between Moroccan and U.S. authorities, noting football’s unique ability to strengthen international ties and cultural exchange.

With several other nations also eyeing New Jersey as a base, Morocco’s early move underscores its intent to gain a competitive edge by combining world-class infrastructure with strong diaspora support as it prepares for another global campaign.

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The 2026 World Cup offers a chance to drive soccer into Canada’s mainstream, boost commercial revenues and elevate the Canadian Premier League, said James Johnson, commissioner of the country’s top-tier domestic competition.

The ​tournament – the first edition of the global showpiece to feature 48 teams – will be co-hosted by ‌Canada, alongside the United States and Mexico, from June 11 to July 19.

“Like any World Cup, there is always a big opportunity to grow the sport and grow the business of the sport,” Johnson, who is also the Group CEO of Canadian Soccer Business, ​told Reuters in an interview.

“Canada, for the first time in our history, will co-host the 2026 World ​Cup. From our perspective, we see an opportunity to break the sport into the mainstream, ⁠to really grow commercial revenues, and ultimately to put the Canadian Premier League at the very centre of the ​Canadian sports agenda.”

Canada will appear at the men’s World Cup for a third time, following previous appearances in 1986 ​and 2022.

Coached by American Jesse Marsch, their squad includes Bayern Munich left back Alphonso Davies, the team’s captain, and Juventus forward Jonathan David.

“We’ve got two great national teams, the men’s and the women’s. We’ve got players playing at big clubs and in top leagues ​around the world,” Johnson said.

The Canadian Premier League was founded in 2017 and played its first season in 2019. ​Johnson believes the league is now entering a more mature phase.

“We have a new league, a relatively new league, that is maturing ‌in ⁠the Canadian Premier League, developing great players for the national teams and for big clubs around the world,” he said.

“All the right ingredients are there. It’s about bringing those ingredients together and making magic happen. That’s what we’re focused on doing as we co-host a World Cup.”

The Canadian Premier League has also positioned itself at the forefront of innovation. ​In April, a goal scored ​under soccer’s experimental “daylight” offside ⁠rule was allowed for the first time in a professional match.

The concept, long advocated by former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger in his role as FIFA’s head of global football ​development, is now being assessed in Canada as a potential future change to the ​laws of the ⁠game.

“What we’re doing with FIFA and Wenger is something new. It’s innovative. We think it’s great for the sport,” Johnson added.

“It’s created a lot of debate, both around video football support and the daylight rule, and that’s a good thing. ⁠We see ​our role as creating interest in our league.

“We want more discussion ​in Canada, but we also want to be part of a global conversation that is driving the sport forward. We think we’re doing that ​through the implementation of these new rules.”

-Reuters

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