Iran Football Federation (IFF) President Mehdi Taj has confirmed that Iran will compete at the 2026 FIFA World Cup despite ongoing tensions between Iran and the United States.
Taj stated that the country’s participation will depend on FIFA and the co-host nation, the United States, meeting 10 conditions submitted by the Iranian Football Federation, according to the BBC.
Iran has been drawn in Group G alongside Egypt, Belgium and New Zealand, with all of their group stage matches scheduled to be played in the United States.
One of the major conditions reportedly demands that visas be granted to all members of Iran’s travelling delegation, including coaches, players and officials linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which the United States classifies as a terrorist organisation.
The development adds another layer of political tension to preparations for the expanded 2026 FIFA World Cup, which the United States, Canada and Mexico will host.
Iran Football Federation president Mehdi Taj (C) attends a reception ceremony for members of Iran’s women’s national football team at Valiasr Square in Tehran (Photo by Saeid Zareian/picture alliance via Getty Images)
Earlier this month, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated at the White House that individuals with ties to the IRGC could be prevented from entering the country, “May not be able to allow them in”. (Click highlighted text to read full story)
US Vice President JD Vance, from left, President Donald Trump, and Marco Rubio, US secretary of state, in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, US, on Thursday, April 23, 2026. Trump said Israel and Lebanon will extend their ceasefire by three weeks, a move that creates space to work on a long-term deal and removes a roadblock to ending the US war with Iran. Photographer: Will Oliver/EPA/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Another key condition was Iran demanding respect for the country’s national flag, national anthem and top-level security during its stay in the competition.
Iran’s #20 Sardar Azmoun controls the ball during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Asia zone qualifiers group A football match between Iran and Uzbekistan, on March 25, 2025, in Tehran. (Photo by -/AFP via Getty Images)
