The president of the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran, Mehdi Taj, has firmly stated that Iran's host for the 2026 World Cup is FIFA, not the United States or President Donald Trump. This declaration comes amid rising tensions over the treatment of Iranian officials ahead of the tournament.
Visa Incident at Canadian Border
Taj made these remarks after he and members of the Iranian delegation were turned back from the Canadian border prior to last week's FIFA Congress in Vancouver. They cited what they described as disrespectful treatment by immigration authorities. Canadian officials later confirmed that Taj's visa had been revoked while he was en route due to alleged links to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which is designated as a terrorist organization in both Canada and the United States.
Reactions from US Officials
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also stated that individuals connected to the IRGC would not be permitted to enter the country. In response, Taj emphasized, "We are going to the World Cup, for which we qualified, and our host is FIFA, not Mr Trump or America." He added, "If they accept hosting us, then they must also accept that they must not insult our military institutions in any way."
Iran's Conditions for Participation
Taj warned that Iran could reconsider its participation arrangements if guarantees are not provided. "We need a guarantee there, for our trip, that they have no right to insult the symbols of our system, especially the IRGC," he said. He argued that without such assurances, "an incident like what happened in Canada will not happen again." The IRGC was established to protect Iran's Islamic system and has evolved into one of the country's most powerful military and political institutions.
FIFA's Stance
Despite the tensions, FIFA President Gianni Infantino has maintained that Iran will participate in the tournament as planned. The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico from June 11 to July 19. Iran is scheduled to play all three of its group-stage matches in the United States, including games in Los Angeles against New Zealand and Belgium, and a final group match against Egypt in Seattle.
