PARIS (Kashmir English): FIFA has invited the Iranian football federation (FFIRI) to its headquarters in Switzerland for talks over the country’s participation at the upcoming World Cup, media reported citing a source.
Iran’s participation in the global event, being held in the United States, Canada and Mexico between June 11 and July 19, is uncertain since the eruption of war in the Middle East.
The United States and Israel imposed a war on Iran in February pushing the whole region into chaos.
According to the source, FIFA had asked the FFIRI to visit its Zurich base “by May 20 to prepare for the World Cup”.
Last week, FIFA president Gianni Infantino reiterated Iran will play their World Cup matches in the United States as scheduled.
“Let me start by the outset, confirming straightaway that of course Iran will be participating at the FIFA World Cup 2026,” Infantino said as he addressed delegates at the FIFA Congress in Vancouver.
“And of course, Iran will play in the United States of America.”
Iran’s delegation was the only absentee from the 211-member congress after a clash with Canadian border officials.
According to Iranian media, FFIRI president Mehdi Taj — a former member of Tehran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) — and two colleagues flew home after being “insulted” by Canadian immigration officers.
Canada had designated the IRGC a terrorist organisation in 2024, and maintains that individuals linked to the force were “inadmissible”.
On his return home, Taj told media he wanted to discuss a variety of subjects with FIFA.
Iran’s FIFA World Cup campaign
Iran, who are due to be based in Tucson, Arizona in the United States during the World Cup, face New Zealand, Belgium and Egypt in Group G.
They will kick off their campaign against New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15 before taking on Belgium at the same stadium on June 21 and rounding out their Group G fixtures against Egypt in Seattle five days later.
