The United States Prevents Iranian Delegation from Attending the 2026 World Cup Draw

Amir Mahdi Alavi, the spokesperson for the Iranian Football Federation, confirmed today, Thursday, that the United States has banned the entry of the Iranian delegation to attend the draw for the 2026 World Cup scheduled to take place on December 5 in Washington.

Alavi pointed out, according to the newspaper "Shargh", that the decision includes the federation president Mahdi Taj and coach Amir Jalilzadeh, in addition to seven other officials. Iran is seeking to persuade FIFA and its president Gianni Infantino to intervene to lift the ban within the next two weeks.

There were concerns that the restrictions imposed by President Donald Trump on Iranians could affect the participation of the already qualified Iranian national team, especially regarding federation officials, reporters, and fans, while sports experts believe that the team and coaching staff will not face significant difficulties. The Iranian federation hopes that the national team's matches will at least be held in Canada or Mexico to avoid entry issues into the United States.