Iran’s Sports Travel Ban Ahead of Upcoming Match
Iran has prohibited its sports teams from traveling to nations it labels as “hostile.” This decision comes just before Tractor FC’s soccer match set to occur in Saudi Arabia, as reported by state television on Thursday.
The announcement was made by the Sports Ministry in Tehran, but interestingly, there was no mention of the upcoming World Cup, starting June 11, which will be hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
The ministry specifically referred to an upcoming match against Dubai’s Shabab Al Ahly that was supposed to take place in Saudi Arabia. This game is part of the Asian Champions League playoff.
“The participation of national and club teams in countries deemed hostile and unable to guarantee the safety of Iranian players and staff is banned until further notice,” the ministry stated.
The ongoing conflict in the region has caused considerable distress, with many Middle Eastern countries experiencing damage from missile and drone strikes.
In fact, the Tractor playoff match that took place in Saudi Arabia ended in a draw, determining the quarter-final matchups. This occurred the day after the Asian Football Confederation stated that the postponed West Zone playoffs would now happen on April 13 and 14 in Jeddah.
Iran’s Stance on the World Cup
Interestingly, Iran’s ambassador in Mexico City mentioned that they are in talks with FIFA to relocate Iran’s three group-stage matches from the U.S. to Mexico. This comes after concerns raised by U.S. President Donald Trump regarding security issues related to Iran participating in the tournament.
However, in a recent statement, FIFA President Gianni Infantino reinforced that the organization wants the World Cup to proceed as planned, further complicating Iran’s hopes of adjusting match locations.
While Iranian officials have insisted they won’t boycott the World Cup, attending the matches in the U.S. seems highly unlikely due to military actions against Iran by Israel and the U.S. since late February.
