TEHRAN - Iran's football federation chief, Mehdi Taj, has demanded written guarantees from FIFA that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) will not be subject to "disrespect" or insult during the 2026 World Cup in the United States, warning that without such assurances, the Iranian delegation may not travel .
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The demand follows a diplomatic incident last week when Taj and an Iranian delegation were denied entry into Canada for the FIFA Congress. Taj was en route to Vancouver when his visa was revoked over his alleged ties to the IRGC, which Canada and the US have designated a terrorist organization . The Iranian officials chose to return home, with Taj describing the treatment as "disrespectful" .
"Our Host is FIFA"
Speaking to state broadcaster IRIB, Taj said that while Team Melli has qualified for the tournament and will enter a training camp in Türkiye, the final decision to travel depends on securing promises from football's global governing body .
"We are going to the World Cup, for which we qualified, and our host is FIFA-not Mr. Trump or the United States," Taj declared .
"We need a guarantee that for our trip they have no right to insult the symbols of our system, especially the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. If there is such a guarantee and responsibility is clearly assumed, then an incident like what happened in Canada will not happen again" .
FIFA Invites Iran for Talks
FIFA has invited the Iranian Football Federation (FFIRI) to its headquarters in Zurich by May 20 for emergency talks to prepare for the World Cup . FIFA President Gianni Infantino has already confirmed that Iran will participate as scheduled, stating: "Let me start at the outset, confirming straightaway that of course Iran will be participating at the FIFA World Cup 2026. And of course, Iran will play in the United States of America" .
FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom also wrote to Taj expressing regret for the "inconvenience and disappointment" experienced by the Iranian delegation in Canada .
US Sanctions and Entry Concerns
The political standoff deepened last week when US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that no one with ties to the IRGC would be admitted to the United States . Taj confirmed he previously served as a high-ranking IRGC official, which would normally trigger a US visa ban .
Despite this, the State Department has said Iranian athletes are not expected to face restrictions, though some accompanying officials could be affected .
On-Field Preparations Continue
Off the pitch, Team Melli continues to prepare. Assistant coach Saeed Alhoei confirmed the squad will leave for Türkiye soon for three friendly matches, including one against an African team to simulate facing Egypt in the group stage . The team will then travel to the US for matches against New Zealand (June 15, Los Angeles), Belgium (June 21, Los Angeles), and Egypt (June 26, Seattle) .
However, Iran suffered a major injury blow after winger Ali Gholizadeh was ruled out of the tournament due to a torn ACL sustained while playing for Polish club Lech Poznan .
Context of Escalating Tensions
The dispute comes amid the ongoing US-Israeli war on Iran, which began on February 28. The conflict has raised serious questions about the safety of Iranian athletes on American soil. Previously, Iran requested to move its matches to Mexico, but FIFA rejected the request .
With fewer than 40 days until the World Cup kicks off on June 11, the football world now watches to see if FIFA can broker a solution that satisfies both US security protocols and Iran's demand for respect .
