Iran has yet to finalize its participation in the 2026 World Cup - Photo: AFP
Recently, the Iranian Football Federation delegation was unable to attend the FIFA annual congress in Vancouver, Canada, due to immigration issues.
Accordingly, the Iranian delegation was stopped at Toronto airport and questioned by security officials about their ties to the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Although not officially stamped with a deportation mark on their file, the Iranian delegation was detained for two hours and ultimately decided to return to Istanbul instead of continuing their journey to Vancouver.
Facing the risk of the situation escalating, FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom issued an urgent invitation, setting a deadline of May 20th for the Iranian delegation to send representatives to the headquarters in Zurich (Switzerland) to seek common ground.
Confirming this information, the President of the Football Federation of Iran (FFIRI), Mehdi Taj, said: "Our position is that we will have a meeting with FIFA soon. Currently, we still have many issues to discuss."
This meeting was crucial because it took place just three weeks before the Iranian squad was scheduled to fly to the training center in Tucson, Arizona (USA) to prepare for the 2026 World Cup.
Infantino announced that Iran would still participate in the World Cup at the FIFA annual congress in Vancouver, Canada. - Photo: REUTERS
At the Congress in Canada, FIFA President Infantino maintained an optimistic attitude: "Of course Iran will participate in the 2026 World Cup and will play in the USA. The reason is very simple: we must unite everyone."
US President Donald Trump, who had previously warned the Iranian team not to come to the US for "their own lives and safety," also relented and allowed Iran to compete in the US.
However, until the May 20th negotiations in Zurich yield results, Iran's participation in the 2026 World Cup remains a big question mark.
Iranian football is currently facing many difficulties due to the conflict. The national league has been suspended because of the war and there is no date set for its resumption.
The national team has to rely on facilities in Antalya (Türkiye) to organize friendly matches and prepare their squad ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
Source: https://tuoitre.vn/tuyen-iran-van-chua-chac-tham-du-world-cup-2026-20260503094925716.htm
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