Our host is FIFA, not Mr Trump or America: Iran football chief

Iran’s participation in the FIFA World Cup 2026 remains complicated with the mega tournament just over a month away.

On Wednesday, Iran football (FFIRI) chief Mehdi Taj said FIFA must guarantee that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is not insulted by the United States when their national team visits the country to play in the World Cup.

“We need a guarantee there, for our trip, that they have no right to insult the symbols of our system, especially the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps,” Mehdi Taj said in Tehran. “This is something they must pay serious attention to. If there is such a guarantee and the responsibility is clearly assumed, then an incident like what happened in Canada will not happen again.”

Last week, an FFIRI delegation comprising Taj that reached Canada to attend the FIFA Congress in Vancouver, turned back from the border as they felt disrespected by the immigration officials. Later, Canada's immigration minister said Taj’s visa had already been cancelled because of his links to the IRGC.

In 2024, Canada listed the IRGC as a ‘terrorist entity’, following in the footsteps of the US, which did the same five years prior to that. The IRGC is a key player in Iran's military and political landscape, with direct links to the nation's Supreme Leader.

With Iran and the US remaining on the warfront, President Donald Trump recently urged the Asian side to not visit America for the World Cup 'for their own life and safety'. 

Taj reiterated his nation’s position that they would not boycott the event despite Trump’s warning. “We are going to the World Cup, for which we qualified, and our host is FIFA - not Mr Trump or America,” Taj said.

“If they accept hosting us, then they must also accept that they must not insult our military institutions in any way. Because if they do, then naturally it could create the same kind of situation that happened in Canada, where there was a possibility we might have to return. So there must be this kind of guarantee so that we can go with peace of mind.”

Iran were one of the first nations to qualify for the World Cup, and are set to make their seventh appearance in the tournament. The 48-team World Cup to be played from June 11 to July 19 is being staged in the US, Mexico and Canada.

All three of Iran's group matches (Group G) are scheduled to take place in the US. Iran start against New Zealand on June 15 at Inglewood in Los Angeles, where they will stay to play Belgium on June 21. Iran's third group match is against Egypt at Seattle on June 26.