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Iran's World Cup Bid Contingent on FIFA Entry Guarantees
(MENAFN) Iran's football federation chief declared Tuesday that the national team is on course for the 2026 FIFA World Cup — but warned that participation hinges on securing binding assurances from world football's governing body.
Mehdi Taj, speaking to a state broadcaster, confirmed the team would head to a training camp in Türkiye following a brief rest period before proceeding to the tournament. He said the conditions for Iran's attendance would be hammered out in a forthcoming meeting with FIFA President Gianni Infantino and Secretary-General Mattias Grafstrom, with Tehran seeking firm pledges to prevent a repeat of a recent diplomatic flashpoint in Canada.
Taj said Iranian officials are demanding guarantees against entry restrictions and what he described as "disrespect," particularly toward Iran's state institutions.
"We have no issue with the United States. We are going to the World Cup because we qualified. Our host is FIFA, not any specific country," he said.
Taj also revealed that Iran is planning two warm-up friendlies in Türkiye and a third on US soil ahead of the tournament.
The statement follows a damaging episode in which Iranian football officials — including Taj and Secretary-General Hedayat Mombeini — were denied entry into Canada despite holding valid visas, having transited through Türkiye to attend an Asian Football Confederation meeting and the FIFA Congress. Iranian media characterized the denial as politically driven, while Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand suggested the incident may not have been deliberate.
FIFA subsequently expressed regret over the affair and committed to arranging a dedicated meeting with Iranian officials. FIFA's president has since stated that Iran is expected to feature in the tournament, pointing to the team's confirmed qualification.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is set to be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico in June. US officials have indicated that Iranian athletes are not anticipated to face entry barriers, though some members of accompanying delegations could encounter complications.
Mehdi Taj, speaking to a state broadcaster, confirmed the team would head to a training camp in Türkiye following a brief rest period before proceeding to the tournament. He said the conditions for Iran's attendance would be hammered out in a forthcoming meeting with FIFA President Gianni Infantino and Secretary-General Mattias Grafstrom, with Tehran seeking firm pledges to prevent a repeat of a recent diplomatic flashpoint in Canada.
Taj said Iranian officials are demanding guarantees against entry restrictions and what he described as "disrespect," particularly toward Iran's state institutions.
"We have no issue with the United States. We are going to the World Cup because we qualified. Our host is FIFA, not any specific country," he said.
Taj also revealed that Iran is planning two warm-up friendlies in Türkiye and a third on US soil ahead of the tournament.
The statement follows a damaging episode in which Iranian football officials — including Taj and Secretary-General Hedayat Mombeini — were denied entry into Canada despite holding valid visas, having transited through Türkiye to attend an Asian Football Confederation meeting and the FIFA Congress. Iranian media characterized the denial as politically driven, while Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand suggested the incident may not have been deliberate.
FIFA subsequently expressed regret over the affair and committed to arranging a dedicated meeting with Iranian officials. FIFA's president has since stated that Iran is expected to feature in the tournament, pointing to the team's confirmed qualification.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is set to be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico in June. US officials have indicated that Iranian athletes are not anticipated to face entry barriers, though some members of accompanying delegations could encounter complications.
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