Toronto, Canada. FIFA president Gianni Infantino said Iran will participate in the 2026 World Cup and play matches in the United States, as FIFA’s Congress opened without Iran’s delegation amid tensions around the tournament.
Infantino comments on Iran’s participation
“Of course Iran will be participating at the FIFA World Cup 2026. And of course Iran will play in the United States of America,” Infantino said.
“And the reason for that is very simple, we have to unite. It is my responsibility, our responsibility.”
Iran delegation absent after airport incident
Iranian football federation officials, including president Mehdi Taj, were due to attend the gathering but turned back at Toronto airport after what Tehran described as “unacceptable behaviour” by Canadian immigration authorities, despite travelling with valid visas.
A source with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters two members of the delegation could have attended the FIFA congress but chose not to after one of their delegation was denied entry into Canada.
Canadian officials cite IRGC-related inadmissibility rules
Taj is a former member of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Canadian officials said entry decisions were made on a case-by-case basis and individuals linked to the IRGC, which Ottawa designates as a terrorist organisation, are inadmissible.
“I can provide the following assurances and facts. One is that, as you know, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and all those members have been listed as a terrorist organisation for several years,” Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said.
“The members are prohibited from coming. We have a series of screenings, and we take action. And no members have entered the country. Action has been taken appropriately.”
World Cup logistics and cross-border concerns
Iran’s absence deprived the congress of direct representation from a country whose presence at the 2026 World Cup is already shaping behind-the-scenes discussions and the issue is particularly acute given the tournament’s cross-border nature.
The expanded 48-team World Cup, co-hosted by Canada, the United States and Mexico, will require teams, officials and support staff to move repeatedly between jurisdictions, raising the prospect that visa restrictions or diplomatic frictions could complicate planning for certain nations.
Iran have qualified for the tournament, but their participation has been fraught, with Tehran requesting alternative venues for matches on U.S. soil.
What impact could cross-border visa restrictions have on teams and officials during the 2026 World Cup?