Iran to boycott 2026 World Cup draw in United States because of visa issue

Iran say they plan to boycott Friday’s 2026 World Cup draw in the United States because of the limited number of visas for their delegation.

According to the Tehran Times, the US has issued four visas to Iran’s delegation, but they do not include one for Mehdi Taj, the president of the country’s football federation.

Taj said he had spoken to Fifa president Gianni Infantino about the issue.

«We are evaluating our options, which will depend on timing and circumstances,» Taj said in an interview with Iranian television on Thursday.

«We remain in close communication with the Iranian foreign ministry and other authorities, and we will take the necessary decision at the appropriate time.

«The current position of the Iran Football Federation executive committee is that no one will attend the event unless all visas are issued.»

The draw is scheduled to take place in Washington DC on Friday, 5 December at 17:00 GMT (12:00 local time).

BBC Sport has contacted Fifa for comment.

Iran have qualified for their seventh World Cup finals and fourth in succession.

The US, which is co-hosting the 2026 tournament along with Canada and Mexico, has long-standing strict visa restrictions on Iranians for political and security reasons.

In June, US president Donald Trump signed an executive order banning nationals from 12 countries from entering America, citing an effort to manage security threats.

Iran is among the countries affected by the ban, although the executive order is supposed to exempt athletes and coaching staff travelling for the World Cup and 2028 Olympics.

«It appears to us that the matter has become politicised,» said Taj. «We informed the Fifa president, Mr. Infantino, that they have taken a political stance and the situation is completely politicised.

«We believe that Fifa should take a stand against such behaviour.»