The Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran has confirmed that Iran will participate in the upcoming FIFA World Cup, but says it has submitted a list of conditions and guarantees to organizers amid growing political tensions surrounding the tournament.
In March this year, Iranian football authorities announced their withdrawal from this year’s World Cup due to its ongoing conflict with a hosting country, but early this week, they reverted their initial stance, saying, the country would take part in the competition “without abandoning our beliefs, culture and convictions,” while insisting that the United States and other host countries respect Iran’s concerns.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico starting June 11.
Iran is expected to play some of its matches in Inglewood, California, and Seattle.
The controversy intensified after Mehdi Taj was reportedly denied entry into Canada last month while attempting to attend a FIFA congress.
According to Iranian officials, Taj later revealed that Iran had submitted ten formal conditions to FIFA regarding the country’s participation in the tournament.
Among the demands is a request that all Iranian players, coaches and officials traveling with the national team receive visas without discrimination, including individuals who completed mandatory military service linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
The IRGC is classified as a terrorist organization by both Canada and the United States, and reports suggest Taj’s alleged links to the group contributed to Canada refusing him entry.
Iran is also demanding guarantees that its national symbols, including the country’s flag and anthem, will be respected throughout the tournament.
Officials further requested additional security measures for Iranian delegations at airports, hotels, training camps, and stadiums during the competition.
The issue reflects how international football is increasingly being affected by global political tensions.
Relations between Iran and Western countries have worsened sharply in recent months following conflict in the Middle East, disputes over sanctions, and growing military tensions involving the United States and Israel.
Iranian authorities have repeatedly accused Western governments of politicizing sports and discriminating against Iranian athletes and officials.
The situation has already sparked debate among football fans online, with some arguing that politics should remain separate from sport, while others say security and diplomatic concerns cannot be ignored during a tournament involving dozens of nations.
FIFA has not yet publicly commented in detail on Iran’s reported conditions, though the organization has historically tried to avoid direct involvement in geopolitical disputes involving member nations.
The 2026 tournament is expected to become the biggest World Cup in history, featuring 48 national teams across North America.
