Iran’s soccer federation said the country “definitely” plans to take part in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, while pressing tournament hosts to address what it described as Tehran’s concerns about travel and how the team will be treated.
In remarks carried by Iranian media, Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran president Mehdi Taj said all players and technical staff—especially those who completed their military service in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps—should be granted visas without problems. The federation’s statement also described conditions linked to participation, including guarantees covering visas as well as security and the treatment of Iranian players and officials during the tournament, while saying Iran would take part “without retreating from our beliefs, culture and convictions.”
The comments come amid heightened geopolitical tensions. The team represents a country in a fragile ceasefire with the United States after the U.S. and Israel sparked a war with attacks on Iran on Feb. 28, and Iran’s citizens are subject to a travel ban imposed by the Trump administration.
The federation’s focus on Revolutionary Guard service is central to the visa discussion, because the Guard has been designated as a terrorist organization by both the United States and Canada. It also comes after Canadian authorities reportedly denied Taj entry last month ahead of a FIFA Congress, citing his past ties to the Revolutionary Guard.
Taj has previously said Iran would seek assurances from FIFA that Iranian officials, players, the national flag and the anthem would be treated with respect during the World Cup. In this latest statement, Iranian media reported that the federation is again asking hosts to consider those concerns as part of the participation decision.
The visa issue could also affect player availability. AP reported that concerns about issuing visas to people who completed their mandatory military service in the Guard had been raised previously, and that the matter could potentially affect Mehdi Taremi, the team captain and a striker who had completed his mandatory service in the Guard. In Iran, AP reported, conscripts can also be assigned to the police or the army, often at random.
On the field, Iran’s national team is drawn into Group G alongside Belgium, New Zealand and Egypt. Iran opens the World Cup against New Zealand in Inglewood, near Los Angeles, according to the AP report, and has qualified for four consecutive World Cups and seven overall, though it has not advanced out of the group stage. AP said the team is currently ranked No. 21 in the world and lost just one match in Asian qualifying.