Iran decided not to participate in the 2026 World Cup drawing ceremony on December 5 in Washington after the United States refused to grant entry visas to a number of members of its delegation. This announcement was made on Friday by the Iranian Federation.
The United States, which has not established diplomatic relations with Iran for more than four decades, will be one of the countries participating in organizing the 2026 World Cup, along with Canada and Mexico. Most of the matches, including the final, will be held on American soil.
Iran qualified for the 2026 World Cup in March, and is in the second pot of the draw, as determined by FIFA.
Iranian sports website Varzesh 3 reported on Tuesday that the United States had not granted visas to some members of the Iranian delegation, including Mehdi Taj, head of the Football Association.
– We inform FIFA that the decisions taken have nothing to do with sports and that members of the Iranian delegation will not participate in the World Cup draw – the spokesman for the country’s Football Association announced on state television.
According to the Varzesh 3 website, four members of the delegation, including national team coach Amir Ghalinoi, obtained travel visas to travel to the United States.
Mehr Agency reported that the president of the federation on Thursday denounced the “political” decision taken by the United States.
He added: “We announced to FIFA President, Mr. (Gianni) Infantino, that this is a purely political position, and we ask him to put an end to this behavior.”
Iran and the United States, enemies for more than four decades, began negotiations last April, mediated by the Sultanate of Oman, regarding the controversial Iranian nuclear program.
But these talks have stalled since Israel’s surprise attack on Iran on June 13, which sparked a 12-day conflict between the two countries, during which the United States attacked three major Iranian nuclear facilities.