ALWAGHT- Iran's football federation has announced that the men's national team will compete in the 2026 World Cup this summer, but insists that co-hosts the United States, Mexico, and Canada agree to its terms.
Despite uncertainty following the US-Israeli aggression that began on February 28, Iran's football federation has confirmed that the men's national team "will definitely participate" in the 2026 World Cup (June 11–July 19), insisting that no external power can deprive Iran of its rightful place. However, the federation has made participation conditional on joint hosts—the United States, Mexico, and Canada—addressing Iran's concerns. The federation declared that Iran will attend "without any retreat from our beliefs, culture, and convictions," adding that if hosts fail to learn hospitality, "we will teach them in another language"—a reference to a recent incident where Canada refused entry to the federation's chief, causing the Iranian delegation to skip a FIFA Congress.
FFIRI President Mehdi Taj stated that Tehran has put forward ten conditions for attending, including visa issuance, respect for the team's flag and national anthem, and heightened security at airports, hotels, and stadium routes. While US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has welcomed Iranian footballers, he warned that members with alleged ties to the IRGC may still be barred entry. Taj responded that all players and technical staff—including those who served military service in the IRGC, such as Mehdi Taremi and Ehsan Hajsafi—must receive visas without problems. FIFA President Gianni Infantino has reaffirmed that Iran will play its scheduled Group G matches (against New Zealand, Belgium, and Egypt) in the US, starting June 15 in Los Angeles.
