Iran has announced it will boycott next week’s draw for the 2026 World Cup in Washington DC after the United States issued only a limited number of visas to its delegation.
Iranian Football Federation spokesman Amir Mehdi Alavi said the team would not attend the 5 December ceremony, calling the US decision «unsportsmanlike». While visas were granted to four delegation members, including head coach Amir Ghalenoei, federation president Mehdi Taj was not approved.
The US maintains strict visa rules for Iranian nationals due to long-standing political and security concerns.
Alavi said FIFA president Gianni Infantino and the organisation’s secretary general had been notified, adding that FIFA had promised to «follow up on the matter seriously».
Iran qualified for the 2026 tournament with a 2-2 draw against Uzbekistan in March.
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