Iran will attend 2026 World Cup

What's happened

Iran's football federation has said it will participate in the 2026 World Cup but has presented 10 conditions for attending, including guaranteed visas, respect for its flag and anthem, and higher security. FIFA has reaffirmed Iran will play its group matches in the United States; visa and border disputes have caused recent friction.

What's behind the headline?

What is happening

• Iran has confirmed it will attend the 2026 World Cup but is attaching explicit political and security conditions to participation.

Why this matters now

• The team will play all group matches in the United States and Iran is operating in the context of an ongoing conflict with the US and Israel that has created visa and entry frictions.

Who is driving the story

• The Iranian Football Federation (FFIRI) and its president Mehdi Taj are pushing a public checklist of demands that is turning a sporting trip into a diplomatic negotiation. FIFA, led by Gianni Infantino, is insisting Iran will play in the US and is arranging talks in Zurich by 20 May.

Stakes and likely outcomes

• Short term: Iran will travel unless a host government denies visas to specific delegation members tied to the IRGC; those denials will generate new diplomatic rows.
• Medium term: FIFA will keep pressure on hosts to grant entry and security guarantees; Iran will continue to use the World Cup as leverage to assert national symbols (flag, anthem) and the safety of staff.
• Long term: This will normalize a pattern where major tournaments are becoming arenas for state-to-state disputes; FIFA will be forced to adopt clearer protocols on delegations linked to sanctioned or designated entities.

What this means for fans and organisers

• Match schedules are unchanged and will remain unchanged unless a government action forces last-minute relocations — FIFA has already rejected moving Iran's games to Mexico.
• Organisers will have to resolve visa and security logistics quickly: Iran must arrive at its Tucson base by FIFA rules well before its first match on June 15.

Forecast

• Iran will travel and play its group matches in the US unless individual delegation members are refused entry on security grounds; any such refusal will trigger immediate diplomatic and media escalation and potential FIFA legal challenge.

How we got here

Iran qualified for the 2026 World Cup and is placed in Group G (New Zealand, Belgium, Egypt). The tournament is co-hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico; Iran's matches are scheduled in the US and concerns have arisen after the Canada refusal of FFIRI officials and US and Israeli strikes on Iran since February.

Our analysis

The coverage is consistent on core facts but differs in emphasis. The New Arab reports Mehdi Taj saying "if we do not participate in the World Cup, we will lose a major diplomatic asset," and lists the federation's 10 conditions including visas, respect for the flag and anthem and heightened security. The Times of Israel and Al Jazeera both note Canada recently refused entry to Mehdi Taj over alleged IRGC links and quote FFIRI's website: "We will definitely participate in the 2026 World Cup, but the hosts must take our concerns into account." Al Jazeera and The Times of Israel quote Taj naming players with IRGC service and citing visa concerns; The Times of Israel adds that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said players would be welcome but warned the US may bar delegates with IRGC ties. AFP (reported by The New Arab) and AP coverage record FIFA president Gianni Infantino's repeated confirmation that "of course Iran will be participating" and that Iran will play in the United States; The New Arab and AP say FIFA has invited FFIRI to Zurich for talks by 20 May. Al Jazeera and AP highlight Iran's planned Tucson base and match dates: opening vs New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15. These sources together show agreement on participation and scheduling, while national outlets stress the visa refusal episode and Iran's political conditions.

Go deeper

• Which of the 10 specific conditions will Washington and other hosts accept?
• Will any individual Iranian delegation members be denied US entry on security grounds?
• What will FIFA do if a host country refuses visas to named FFIRI officials?

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