Infantino tells FIFA Congress Iran will play at World Cup as planned
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has repeated his belief that Iran will take part in the World Cup this summer despite the Iranian federation failing to attend the international governing body’s annual congress in Vancouver.
Iran’s delegation was the only absentee from the 211-member congress as Thursday’s meeting got under way after a clash with Canadian border officials earlier this week.
Officials from the Iranian Football Federation (FFIRI) abruptly left Canada after landing in Toronto, abandoning their onward trip to Vancouver. FIFA sources described the matter as a “regrettable situation” but insisted that Iran had been invited to attend congress and that responsibility for deciding who enters the country lay with the Canadian authorities.
Iranian media said FFIRI President Mahdi Taj – a former member of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) – and two colleagues flew home after being “insulted” by Canadian immigration officers.
The three-man delegation “was granted visas by the host country of the congress and faced no issues entering Canadian soil,” the official website of the FFIRI said in a statement on Thursday.
“However, the host’s misconduct toward the federation’s delegation, along with vile and offensive insults directed at the country’s proud armed forces led the president of the Football Federation to decisively refrain from answering the divisive and suspicious questions posed by the Canadian officers.
“Emphasizing his commitment to the pillars and principles of the sacred system of the Islamic Republic, taking pride in the nation’s powerful defense forces, and relying on national unity, he chose to withdraw from attending a country that had broken its promises just 42 days before the World Cup,” added the statement.
Iran’s World Cup participation has been the subject of uncertainty since the US and Israel launched airstrikes on the country in February, but Infantino insisted they will fulfil fixtures against New Zealand, Belgium and Egypt.
“Let me start at the outset by confirming straight away, for those who maybe want to say something else or write something else, that of course Iran will be participating at the FIFA World Cup 2026,” Infantino said at the congress. “And of course, Iran will play in the United States of America. The reason for that is simple, because we have to unite. We have to bring people together.
“There are enough problems around the world. There are enough people who try to divide all over the world. If nobody tries to unite, what will happen to our world? We have to do it, and we have this opportunity.”
Iran will begin their World Cup against New Zealand in Los Angeles on 15 June, where they are also due to play Belgium on 21 June, before finishing Group G against Egypt in Seattle.
US President Donald Trump, meanwhile, has told reporters that “I’m OK” with Iran playing in the upcoming showpiece, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada from June 11.
“If Gianni said it, I’m OK,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.
“You know what? Let them play.”
Despite Infantino’s confidence there remain concerns that Iran could experience immigration problems this summer. The US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, said last week that Iran’s players will be welcome, but indicated that some members of their federation, who “have ties to the IRGC” may experience difficulties.
The Canadian government had issued Taj with a temporary resident permit (TRP) allowing him to enter Canada to attend congress, but it appears to have been revoked. “My understanding is that there is a revocation of the permission,” Canada’s foreign affairs minister, Anita Anand, said.
The Guardian and Al Jazeera contributed to this report.