Iran has announced that it will boycott the 2026 World Cup draw event in Washington next week, after several of its officials were denied visas by the United States. The announcement was made on Friday by the Iranian Football Federation (FFIRI), confirming that even the federation president, Mehdi Taj, was refused entry.
AFP reported that a FFIRI spokesperson told Iranian state television, “We have informed FIFA that these decisions are political and have no connection to sports. Iran’s delegation will not attend the draw.”
According to Iranian media outlet Varzesh3, several key members of Iran’s delegation were denied visas, including federation president Mehdi Taj. Taj condemned the decision as political, saying, “We have informed FIFA President Gianni Infantino that this is a purely political stance, and FIFA should ensure such behaviour is avoided.”
Four members of the delegation were granted visas: national team head coach Amir Ghalenoei, executive director Mehdi Kharati, director of international relations Omid Jamali, and spokesperson Mehdi Alavi. Meanwhile, Mehdi Taj, Mehdi Nabi, and Mehdi Malek-Abad were denied entry.
The FFIRI stressed that the visa denial has no relation to sports. The draw event is scheduled for December 5 at the Kennedy Center in Washington, ahead of the World Cup starting in the United States, Mexico, and Canada on June 11, 2026.
Iran qualified for the World Cup for the seventh time this March, but has never reached the knockout stage. They defeated the US 2-1 in the 1998 World Cup but lost 1-0 in 2022.
The political tension between the US and Iran has lasted over four decades, particularly over Iran’s uranium enrichment programme. The US travel restrictions imposed by President Donald Trump affected 19 countries, including Iran. While exemptions were planned for athletes, coaches, and essential staff, Iran’s delegation was not granted such exceptions.
Visa Table
| Name | Position | Visa Status |
|---|---|---|
| Mehdi Taj | President | Denied |
| Mehdi Nabi | Official | Denied |
| Mehdi Malek-Abad | Official | Denied |
| Amir Ghalenoei | Head Coach | Approved |
| Mehdi Kharati | Executive Director | Approved |
| Omid Jamali | International Relations | Approved |
| Mehdi Alavi | Spokesperson | Approved |
The denial raises the possibility that Iran could fully withdraw from the 2026 World Cup. FIFA had previously promised that all participants would be welcome, but the current situation remains unresolved.