World Cup
Iran will be at World Cup and will play in the US, says FIFA boss
FIFA president Gianni Infantino insisted Iran would play World Cup matches in the United States as the soccer governing body’s Congress opened on Thursday without the country’s delegation, its absence highlighting tensions and challenges surrounding the tournament.
“Let me start at the outset. Of course, Iran will be participating in the FIFA World Cup 2026. And of course Iran will play in the United States of America,” Infantino said.
“And the reason for that is very simple: we have to unite. It is my responsibility, our responsibility.”
U.S. President Donald Trump said he was “okay” with Iran playing at the World Cup.
“Well, if Gianni said it, I’m okay. Did Gianni say it?… You know what? Let them play. Well, Gianni’s fantastic, he’s a friend of mine. He talked about it,” Trump told reporters on Thursday.
“I said you do whatever you want. You can have them. You don’t have to have them. They probably have a good team. Do they have a good team?”
Iran have qualified for the June 11-July 19 tournament, but their participation has been fraught, with Tehran requesting alternative venues for matches on U.S. soil.
FIFA has rejected the request, insisting the schedule would stand.
Iranian football federation officials, including president Mehdi Taj, were due to attend the Congress but turned back at Toronto airport after what Tehran described as “unacceptable behaviour” by Canadian immigration authorities, despite travelling with valid visas.
The incident, which occurred on Tuesday, underscored the practical and political obstacles surrounding Iran’s participation in the World Cup, the most politically sensitive item on FIFA’s agenda since the U.S. and Israel launched a war against Iran in February.
A source with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters two members of the delegation could have attended the FIFA congress but chose not to after one of their delegation members was denied entry into Canada.
Taj is a former member of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Canadian officials said entry decisions were made on a case-by-case basis and individuals linked to the IRGC, which Ottawa designates as a terrorist organisation, are inadmissible.
“I can provide the following assurances and facts. One is that, as you know, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and all those members have been listed as a terrorist organisation for several years,” Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said.
“The members are prohibited from coming. We have a series of screenings, and we take action. And no members have entered the country. Action has been taken appropriately.”
Iran’s absence deprived the congress of direct representation from a country whose presence at the 2026 World Cup is already shaping behind-the-scenes discussions, and the issue is particularly acute given the tournament’s cross-border nature.
The expanded 48-team World Cup, co-hosted by Canada, the United States and Mexico, will require teams, officials and support staff to move repeatedly between jurisdictions, raising the prospect that visa restrictions or diplomatic frictions could complicate planning for certain nations.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said last week Washington had no objections to Iranian players participating in the World Cup, but added that the players would not be allowed to bring with them people with ties to the IRGC.
Outside the convention centre, about 30 protesters draped in Iranian flags and holding signs gathered to voice their desire to see regime change in Iran. The protesters chanted their support for Iranian opposition figure Reza Pahlavi.
“IRGC is terrorists,” they chanted. “No deal with terrorists.” “Hey FIFA, oi FIFA, no deal with terrorists.”
-Reuters
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Iran’s soccer team represents the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), not the people of Iran, and FIFA should ban the team from participating in the upcoming World Cup, protesters gathered outside the FIFA Congress in Vancouver said on Thursday.
“This is not Iran; this is the Islamic Republic’s team. This is IRGC’s team,” said Pouria Mahmoudi, an organiser with Mission for My Homeland, which brought together about 30 protesters draped in Iranian flags and holding signs supporting Iranian opposition figure Reza Pahlavi.
Demonstration placards are seen outside the Vancouver Convention Centre during the 76th FIFA Congress REUTERS/Jennifer Gauthier
“They’re here not to represent Iran. They’re here to normalise what’s happening in Iran, the massacre in Iran. So, no, they should not be in the World Cup,” he told Reuters.
Iran have qualified for the June 11-July 19 tournament but their participation has been fraught, with Tehran requesting alternative venues for matches on U.S. soil amid the nation’s two-month old conflict with the United States and Israel.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino reiterated on Thursday that he expected Iran to participate and play matches in the U.S., and U.S. President Donald Trump later in the day said he agreed with Infantino’s position.
A protester holds demonstration placards outside the Vancouver Convention Centre during the 76th FIFA Congress REUTERS/Jennifer Gauthier
CRACKDOWN ON PROTESTERS
Anti-government protests in Iran in January were met with a brutal crackdown by the state, in which thousands died. Mahmoudi said the carnage outweighed the desire of the players on the team to compete at the tournament.
“How about those are killed, the Iranian footballers, who are killed also? FIFA shouldn’t be quiet about them,” he said.
“People should speak up about the athletes who have been killed, especially the footballers. Russia was banned from the World Cup… so we expect FIFA to do the same.”
Iranian football federation officials, including president Mehdi Taj, were due to attend the gathering in Vancouver but turned back at Toronto airport after what Tehran described as “unacceptable behaviour” by Canadian immigration authorities, despite travelling with valid visas.
Canadian officials said entry decisions were made on a case-by-case basis and reiterated that individuals linked to the IRGC, which Ottawa designates as a terrorist organisation, were inadmissible.
Taj is a former member of the IRGC.
“The moment we heard that he was coming to Canada, we tried our best to deport him, and we’re happy that it happened,” Mahmoudi said.
“This is really great success for us. It shows that Iranian people, when they’re united, can do big things.”
-Reuters
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An Iranian football federation delegation led by Mehdi Taj was reportedly denied entry into Canada this week, forcing the group to abandon plans to attend a key pre-World Cup meeting.
According to Iran’s semi-official Tasnim News Agency, the delegation, which included the federation secretary general Hedayat Mombeni and his deputy Hamed Momeni, arrived in Toronto with valid visas but chose to return to Turkey after what they described as “unacceptable behaviour” by Canadian immigration officials.
The officials had been en route to Vancouver to participate in the FIFA Congress, a gathering that has taken on heightened significance with the FIFA World Cup less than two months away.
In a statement carried by Tasnim, the Iranian federation said the treatment of its officials amounted to an insult, particularly given Taj’s past affiliation with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Canadian authorities declined to comment on the specific case, citing privacy laws, but reiterated a longstanding policy regarding individuals linked to the IRGC.
“We have been clear and consistent: IRGC officials are inadmissible to Canada and have no place in our country,” the government said, noting that it has taken measures to hold the organisation accountable.
Canada formally designated the IRGC as a terrorist organisation in 2024, a move that has since influenced immigration decisions involving individuals associated with the group. Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree reinforced that position, stating that members of the IRGC are not welcome in the country.
The controversy has also drawn criticism from the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights, which questioned why Taj had been granted special permission to travel in the first place, arguing that such exemptions undermine Canada’s human rights commitments.
FIFA caught in the middle
Football’s global governing body, FIFA, has reportedly expressed regret over the incident and is seeking to resolve the situation. According to Tasnim, FIFA President Gianni Infantino is expected to meet with the Iranian delegation at FIFA headquarters.
A source at the Congress indicated that FIFA had dispatched a representative to mediate at Toronto airport, but the effort failed to prevent the delegation’s withdrawal.
The absence of Iranian officials was also felt at the Asian Football Confederation gathering in Vancouver, further underlining the ripple effects of the incident.
The episode raises doubts over Iran’s participation logistics in the upcoming World Cup, particularly given the tournament’s multi-country hosting format.
While America’s Marco Rubio has indicated that Iranian players would be allowed to compete, he made clear that individuals with IRGC ties would not be permitted entry into the United States.
A delegate at the AFC Congress summed up the concern: if entry issues are already emerging in Canada, widely regarded as one of the more accessible host nations, the situation could become more complicated in other host countries.
Palestinian Football Association president Jibril Rajoub also warned that visa uncertainties are casting a shadow over preparations, calling for a clearer separation between politics and sport.
The incident comes at a particularly sensitive time, with geopolitical tensions involving Iran continuing to shape international relations. These dynamics are increasingly spilling into football administration, traditionally governed by principles of neutrality and inclusivity.
Iranian authorities are reportedly seeking guarantees to ensure smooth participation at the World Cup, including discussions around travel arrangements and, in extreme scenarios, alternative venues.
For FIFA, the challenge will be to maintain the integrity and inclusiveness of the tournament while navigating the complex political realities imposed by host nations.
With the World Cup fast approaching, the Toronto incident may prove to be more than an isolated diplomatic episode—it could be an early signal of the logistical and political hurdles that lie ahead for one of football’s most globally anticipated events.
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FIFA will increase payments to teams taking part in the 2026 World Cup to almost $900 million, world soccer’s governing body said on Tuesday, citing the commercial success of its expanded flagship men’s tournament.
The FIFA Council, meeting in Vancouver ahead of the 76th FIFA Congress, approved a 15% increase in the resources to be distributed to all 48 participating member associations at next year’s tournament in Canada, Mexico and the United States.
The total pot will rise to $871 million, FIFA said, with each participating team receiving increased preparation money of $2.5 million, up from $1.5 million.
Qualification money will also increase from $9 million to $10 million, while FIFA said additional team contributions would include subsidies for team delegation costs and increased team ticketing allocations totalling more than $16 million.
“FIFA is proud to be in its most solid financial position ever, enabling us to help all our Member Associations in an unprecedented way,” FIFA president Gianni Infantino said.
“This is one more example of how FIFA’s resources are reinvested back into the game.”
The sheer scale of staging a tournament across North America, with long-haul travel, differing tax regimes and significant operational demands, had prompted unease among some participating nations.
UEFA had passed on concerns from several European associations that teams could find it difficult to break even unless they progress deep into the competition.
The 2026 World Cup will be the first edition of the men’s tournament to feature 48 teams, up from 32, and will be staged across the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The increased distribution comes as FIFA prepares for the biggest and most commercially lucrative World Cup in history, with more teams, more matches and expanded revenue opportunities across ticketing, sponsorship and broadcast rights.
-Reuters
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