Iran’s presence at the tournament has been shrouded in uncertainty since the United States and Israel launched a war against Iran in February.
Published May 9, 2026
The Iranian Football Federation has announced that its men’s national team will participate in the 2026 World Cup, which begins in June, but demanded that co-hosts the United States, Mexico and Canada agree to the terms amid a Middle East war.
Saturday’s call came after Canada last month denied entry to the federation’s chief at the FIFA General Assembly due to his ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), the ideological wing of the Iranian military, which it designated as a “terrorist group” in 2024.
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Iran’s participation in the tournament, which will be held from June 11 to July 19, has been shrouded in uncertainty since the United States and Israel launched a war against the Middle Eastern country in February.
“We will definitely participate in the 2026 World Cup, but the host country needs to take into account our concerns,” the Iranian federation said on its official website.
“We will be participating in the World Cup tournament, but we will not back down from our beliefs, our culture and our beliefs.”
Mehdi Taj, president of the Football Federation of Iran (FFIRI), told state television on Friday that Tehran had 10 conditions for participating in the global spectacle and asked for guarantees about the country’s treatment.
Conditions include issuing visas, respecting national team staff, the team’s flag and the national anthem during the tournament, and requiring heavy security at airports, hotels and routes to match venues.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio insisted that Iranian soccer players are welcome to participate in the tournament.
But he warned that the country could continue to bar members of Iranian delegations associated with the Revolutionary Guards, which the United States also lists as a terrorist organization, from entering the country.
“All players and technical staff, especially Mehdi Taremi and Ehsan Haisafi, who served in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, should be granted visas without any problems,” Taj, Iran’s head of football, said in a statement.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino reiterated that Iran will play its World Cup matches in the United States as scheduled.
Iran, who will be based in Tucson, Arizona, during the World Cup, will face New Zealand, Belgium and Egypt in Group G.
The Iranian national team will open the World Cup against New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15th.
“No external force can deprive Iran of its participation in the cup competitions, which it has qualified for through its achievements,” the Iranian federation said on Saturday.
