‘FIFA Is Our Host, Not America’ — Iran Seeks Assurances Ahead of 2026 World Cup

Iran’s football federation president, Mehdi Taj, has emphasised that FIFA—not the United States or its leadership—will be the country’s host at the 2026 World Cup, amid growing diplomatic concerns.

Taj’s comments follow an incident in which he and other Iranian officials were denied entry into Canada ahead of last week’s FIFA Congress in Vancouver. While he described their return as voluntary, Canadian authorities later disclosed that his visa had been revoked during transit due to alleged links to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

The development came as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reiterated that individuals associated with the IRGC would not be permitted into the United States.

“We are going to the World Cup, for which we qualified, and our host is FIFA – not Mr Trump or America,” Taj said.

He stressed that Iran would need guarantees of respect before participating in the tournament.

“If they accept hosting us, then they must also accept that they must not insult our military institutions in any way,” he said.

“Because if they do, then naturally it could create the same kind of situation that happened in Canada… So there must be this kind of guarantee so that we can go with peace of mind.”

Taj further insisted that FIFA must ensure that the IRGC is not disrespected.

“We need a guarantee there… that they have no right to insult the symbols of our system – especially the IRGC,” he said.

The IRGC, which plays a central role in Iran’s security and political structure, is listed as a terrorist organisation by the US and Canada.

Despite the dispute, FIFA president Gianni Infantino has confirmed that Iran will compete in the World Cup as planned. Earlier, Iran had requested that its matches be relocated to Mexico.

The tournament, co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, will run from June 11 to July 19.

Iran’s group-stage fixtures are scheduled in the US, with matches against New Zealand and Belgium in Los Angeles, followed by a clash with Egypt in Seattle.

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