The Iranian selection has decided not to participate in the draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will take place next week in Washington. The main reason behind this measure is the refusal of the United States to grant visas to members of the Iranian delegation, according to the state news agency IRNA on Friday.
Amir-Mahdi Alavi, spokesman for the Iranian football federation, stated that the visa issues outweigh sporting considerations. So far, there have been no comments from the White House.
FIFA modifies the World Cup draw format to avoid early clashes between important teams.
Ticket sales for specific matches will begin on December 11.
The Iranian federation has contacted FIFA in the hope of resolving this situation. However, the governing body of football has not yet issued any statement on the matter.
In June, the administration of former President Donald Trump implemented a travel ban for citizens of 12 countries, including Iran. Haiti, which recently qualified for the World Cup, was also on that list.Exemptions were promised for “any athlete or member of a sports team, including coaches, necessary support staff, and immediate family members, traveling for the World Cup, the Olympic Games, or another major sporting event, as determined by the Secretary of State.”
It is unclear whether these exemptions also apply to the World Cup draw, scheduled for December 5 at the Kennedy Center.
It was expected that the Iranian delegation would be led by Mehdi Taj, president of the football federation, one of the highest-ranking officials in Asian football and a member of two FIFA committees that oversee the World Cup.
Taj is one of the vice presidents of the Asian Football Confederation and a member of FIFA panels with responsibility for the entity’s competitions, as well as men’s national team football in general.
A record 48 teams will participate in the World Cup, which will be held from June 11 to July 19 in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
