The Iran national football team has confirmed it will skip the draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, scheduled for December 5 in Washington, DC. The decision follows the refusal by U.S. authorities to grant visas to several members of Iran’s delegation.
Officials from the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran (FFIRI) said the visa denials are unrelated to sport. “We have informed FIFA that the decisions taken have nothing to do with sports and the members of the Iranian delegation will not participate in the World Cup draw,” a federation spokesman said.
Among those reportedly denied entry was FFIRI President Mehdi Taj. The federation described the refusal as a political move and urged the world governing body to intervene. Taj said the denial of visas to senior officials goes beyond sporting considerations.
Although Iran has qualified for the 2026 tournament; their fourth successive appearance and seventh overall, the visa row raises concerns about their participation. FFIRI warned the partial refusal could jeopardise travel for players or staff during the competition.
Iran booked their spot at the World Cup in March after a 2-2 draw against Uzbekistan in Tehran.
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