DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — In a firm announcement made Saturday, the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran has confirmed that the country’s national men’s soccer team will “definitely” take part in the 2026 FIFA World Cup co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, while calling on the three host nations to address Tehran’s key concerns over cross-border travel and fair treatment of the delegation.
Per reporting from Iranian state media, federation president Mehdi Taj outlined a core demand: all members of the Iranian squad and technical staff, particularly those who completed mandatory military service with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), must be granted entry visas without obstruction or delay.
Iran’s participation comes against a backdrop of extreme geopolitical tension. The Islamic Republic currently holds a fragile ceasefire with the U.S. following a February 28 series of attacks on Iran by the U.S. and Israel that escalated into open conflict. Additionally, Iranian citizens have long faced broad travel restrictions imposed by the Trump administration that remain in place.
In the official statement carried by Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency, delivered Friday, Taj confirmed that Tehran had submitted formal conditions for its participation, including binding guarantees for visa access, on-ground security, and respectful treatment of all Iranian players and officials. He emphasized that Iran would compete “without retreating from our beliefs, culture and convictions.”
Taj’s comments follow a high-profile incident last month, when Canadian border authorities denied him entry ahead of a scheduled FIFA Congress, citing his reported past links to the IRGC. Both the U.S. and Canada have formally designated the IRGC as a terrorist organization, a labeling that Iran rejects fiercely.
This is not the first time visa concerns for IRGC conscripted personnel have emerged. The issue could directly impact one of Iran’s star players: team captain and star striker Mehdi Taremi, who completed his mandatory military service with the Guard. In Iran, mandatory conscription assigns recruits to the IRGC, national army, or police force largely at random, meaning many young Iranians have no choice in their service assignment.
Taj has repeatedly pushed FIFA to deliver formal assurances that Iranian national symbols — including the country’s flag and national anthem — will be treated with full respect across all World Cup venues and events.
Iran has been drawn into Group G for the 2026 tournament, where it will face off against Belgium, New Zealand and Egypt. The team will kick off its World Cup campaign against New Zealand in Inglewood, California, a city adjacent to Los Angeles in the U.S.
This cycle marks Iran’s fourth consecutive World Cup qualification, and its seventh appearance at the tournament overall. To date, the Iranian national team has never advanced past the group stage of the World Cup. Currently ranked 21st in the official FIFA global rankings, Iran lost only a single qualifying match throughout the Asian qualification process, making it one of the most in-form teams heading into the 2026 competition.