Iran boycotts the 2026 World Cup draw to protest visa denials
The Iranian Football Federation announced that Iran has decided to boycott the 2026 World Cup draw ceremony scheduled to be held on December 5 in Washington, D.C., in protest against the United States’ refusal to grant visas to a number of members of its delegation.
The Iranian Federation clarified that the decision has nothing to do with sports, stressing that members of the delegation, including the federation’s president, the national team’s coach, and other officials, will not participate in the draw ceremony.
This step comes as a result of In light of the political restrictions imposed by the United States on Iranian citizens, which sparked widespread controversy about the politicization of sports.
Although the Iranian national team officially qualified for the World Cup, officials stressed their refusal to use football as a tool to settle political differences.
This boycott opens a sensitive issue related to securing entry visas for Iranian players if they play the tournament on American soil, amid expectations that FIFA will discuss the issue. This issue is before the start of the tournament scheduled for the period from June 11 to July 19, 2026, which will be hosted by 16 cities in three countries: the United States, Canada and Mexico.
- For more: Follow Khaleejion 24 Arabic, Khaleejion 24 English, Khaleejion 24 Live, and for social media follow us on Facebook and Related
