Iran to Boycott World Cup Draw Over Visa Issues
The draw for the 2026 World Cup qualifying group is set to take place next week in Washington, D.C. However, Iran has decided to boycott the event. This decision arose after the U.S. denied visas to members of the Iranian delegation, as reported by the state news agency IRNA.
According to Amir Mahdi Alavi, a spokesman for the Iranian Football Federation, the visa challenges stem from issues that extend beyond just sports. He mentioned that the federation has reached out to FIFA to seek assistance in resolving these complications.
In June, the Trump administration implemented a travel ban affecting citizens from 12 countries, Iran included. Interestingly, Haiti—a nation on the list—managed to qualify for the World Cup recently.
Despite the ban, there were assurances that athletes and their support teams would be exempt when traveling for significant sporting events like the World Cup, although it’s unclear if this exemption applies to the upcoming draw.
The Iranian delegation was expected to be led by Mehdi Taj, the president of the Football Federation. He’s quite a prominent figure in Asian football, serving on two FIFA committees overseeing the World Cup.
The 2026 World Cup will see a record 48 teams and will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, scheduled to occur between June 11 and July 19. Six teams will qualify next March, and the championship matches will be held in various locations, including MetLife Stadium in New Jersey and Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.
Interestingly, there’s some tension regarding the Boston games, with President Trump warning of cancellations if safety issues arise in Foxborough, Massachusetts. During a recent press meeting, he mentioned that if he felt a situation was unsafe, he would not hesitate to contact FIFA’s president, Gianni Infantino, to move the tournament elsewhere. This added layer of drama to the preparations certainly leaves much to ponder.
Boston is slated to host several games, including five in the group stage, along with a round of 32 match and a quarterfinal on July 9.
