Iranian Football Federation president Mehdi Taj said Wednesday he will meet FIFA President Gianni Infantino in the next three or four days to seek assurances from FIFA about Iran’s World Cup participation after Canada refused him entry.
Canada, a co-host of the June 11 to July 19 FIFA World Cup 2026 with the United States and Mexico, said it denied Taj entry last week because of his links to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Taj told Iranian state broadcaster IRIB in Tehran that Iran would participate if FIFA addressed its expectations, but warned that the team could make a different decision if FIFA’s institutions showed disrespect.
The United States and Canada both classify the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist entity and have said they will not admit people with links to the force.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei backed Taj’s position, saying FIFA had the responsibility to provide the necessary facilities and that host governments must issue the required visas without political considerations.
Iran’s participation has faced uncertainty since the United States and Israel launched air strikes on Iran in late February, triggering war in the region.
Taj said Iran would select a wider 30-man squad this week, then cut it to 26 after a training camp in Turkey.
Iran coach Amir Ghalenoei told state media the squad planned to arrive in the United States 14 days before the tournament after a two-week camp, while efforts to arrange two or three warm-up matches had been difficult.
Iran will open their World Cup campaign against New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15, and will base themselves at the Kino Sports Complex in Tucson, Arizona.
