Mehd
i Taj, president of the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran, has said Iran’s participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup is under the authority of FIFA and not the United States or President Donald Trump, amid rising tensions over the treatment of Iranian officials ahead of the tournament.
Taj made the statement after he and members of the Iranian delegation were reportedly turned back at the Canadian border before last week’s FIFA Congress in Vancouver, citing what they described as disrespectful treatment by immigration authorities.
Canadian officials later confirmed that Taj’s visa had been revoked while he was travelling, over alleged links to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which is designated as a terrorist organisation in both Canada and the United States.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had also stated that individuals linked to the IRGC would not be permitted entry into the United States.
“We are going to the World Cup, for which we qualified, and our host is FIFA, not Mr Trump or America,” Taj said. “If they accept hosting us, then they must also accept that they must not insult our military institutions in any way.”
Taj further warned that Iran could reconsider aspects of its participation if adequate guarantees are not provided.
“We need a guarantee there, for our trip, that they have no right to insult the symbols of our system, especially the IRGC,” he stated, adding that assurances were necessary to prevent a repeat of the incident in Canada.
The IRGC was created to safeguard Iran’s Islamic system and has since become one of the country’s most influential military and political bodies.
Despite the controversy, FIFA President Gianni Infantino has maintained that Iran will participate in the tournament as scheduled.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico from June 11 to July 19. Iran is expected to play all three of its group-stage matches in the United States, including fixtures in Los Angeles against New Zealand and Belgium, as well as a final group game against Egypt in Seattle.
