World Cup host is FIFA, not America, says Iran football chief

The president of the Iranian Football Federation, Mehdi Taj, has insisted that football’s governing body, not the United States, is the true authority behind the 2026 World Cup, amid growing political tensions over Iran’s participation.

As reported by BBC Sport on Wednesday, Taj made the remarks while addressing concerns over travel restrictions, diplomatic friction, and the treatment of Iranian officials ahead of the tournament co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

“Our host is FIFA, not Mr Trump or America,” Taj said, stressing that Iran qualified for the tournament and expects to compete under FIFA’s supervision.

The comments come after Iranian football officials were blocked from attending a FIFA Congress in Canada, with authorities citing concerns linked to alleged ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which is designated as a terrorist organisation in several countries.

Taj, who has previously acknowledged serving in the IRGC, said Iran is demanding guarantees that its delegation and symbols of state institutions will not be disrespected during the tournament.

“If they guarantee not to insult our military institutions and the IRGC, we’ll go,” he said, referring to arrangements for the World Cup travel.

FIFA has already expressed regret over the visa incident involving Iranian officials and has invited the Iranian federation to talks in Zurich as part of ongoing preparations.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has reiterated that Iran remains scheduled to participate and will play its matches as planned, despite political complications.

The dispute unfolds against a backdrop of strained relations between Tehran and Washington, with U.S. officials maintaining that individuals linked to the IRGC will not be allowed entry into the country.

Iran, however, insists that football must remain separate from politics and that its participation should not be affected by diplomatic disputes.

“We are going to the World Cup because we qualified,” Taj has previously said, adding that Iran would boycott the United States politically but not the tournament itself.

As preparations continue, the standoff highlights the increasing intersection of global sport and geopolitics ahead of one of football’s biggest events.