TEHRAN: Iran has announced that it will boycott the 2026 FIFA World Cup draw ceremony scheduled for December 5 in Washington, D.C., after the United States denied visas to several members of its official delegation — a move Tehran says reflects politics creeping into 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,” the federation’s spokesperson told state television.
According to Iran’s football federation, visa requests for Federation President Mehdi Taj and national team executive director Mehdi Kharati were rejected in October, along with applications from other officials. A spokesperson told state television that the federation had formally informed FIFA of its decision, insisting that “the decisions taken have nothing to do with sports.”
The controversy comes despite a 2025 U.S. executive order restricting entry for citizens of certain countries, including Iran, which carries specific exemptions for athletes and staff attending global sporting events. The U.S. State Department, however, noted that while some processes can be expedited, no visa category guarantees automatic entry.
FIFA has been notified of Iran’s boycott. Citing WANA News Agency, FIFA vice president Victor Montagliani said the United States, Canada, and Mexico — joint hosts of the 2026 World Cup — have assured the organisation that all qualified teams will be allowed entry during the tournament itself.
Despite the diplomatic row, FIFA confirmed that the World Cup draw will go ahead as planned on December 5 at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.
