The Iranian federation called for “absolute respect” and warned that it could withdraw from the tournament if there are grievances against its national team
With 36 days left until the start of the 2026 World Cup, and when everything seemed to indicate that the issue had already been resolved, Iran's participation was once again shrouded in a cloak of uncertainty. In the last few hours, the Iranian Football Federation demanded formal guarantees fromFIFA so that it can play the tournament and once again left open the possibility of not showing up or
even leaving.
The president of the organization, Mehdi Taj, was forceful in stating the country's position in the run-up to the competition: "We must receive the necessary guarantees from FIFA to participate in this competition, so that incidents similar to past experiences are not repeated.”
Mehdi Taj demands guarantees from FIFA for Iran to participate in the World Cup The leader conditioned the national team's presence on a meeting with the FIFA boss, Gianni Infantino, in Zurich and demanded “absolute respect” for the delegation.
In that regard, he issued a direct warning: "If there is no insult of any kind, there will be no problem. But if it happens, a proportional response will be given and there is even the possibility that the selection will return to the country
.”
The focus of the conflict is on possible demonstrations against Iranian institutions, especially the Revolutionary Guard, considered a terrorist organization by the United States and Canada, which host the World Cup together with Mexico.
Taj, who had ties to that body, experienced a tense situation recently when he was deported at Toronto airport after traveling to the FIFA Congress, an episode that he described as "insults”.
The US government sought to calm down in relation to sports participation. The Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, assured that Iranian football players will be able to enter without problems to play their matches, although he clarified that there could be restrictions for members of the federation with ties to the
Revolutionary Guard. Marco Rubio assured that players will have no problems in the United States
For his part, last week Infantino had already given signs that Iran will be part of the tournament. “Iran is going to participate in the 2026 World Cup. He's going to play in the United States. We have to bring people together. It's our responsibility: football and FIFA bring the world together,” he said at the last congress of the parent company of world football.
Beyond the intentions of everything going as stipulated, the current geopolitical scenario in the Middle East could change plans for the time. In that sense, depending on how the conflict develops, Iran's presence could be a question that would remain until its debut in Group G of the World Cup against New Zealand on June 15 in Los Angeles
