Iranian Football Federation (FFIRI) chief Mehdi Taj has stated that FIFA must provide guarantees that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) will not be insulted by the United States if the national team is to travel to the country for the World Cup in June. The demand follows a recent incident where an FFIRI delegation, including Taj, turned back from the Canadian border due to what they described as disrespectful treatment by immigration officials while attempting to attend the FIFA Congress in Vancouver.
Background of the Dispute
Taj clarified that the decision to return home was voluntary, but Canada's immigration minister later confirmed to parliament that the FFIRI president's visa had been canceled while he was en route because of his ties to the IRGC. Canada designated the IRGC, an elite military force tasked with protecting Shi'ite Muslim clerical rule in Iran, as a terrorist entity in 2024, following the United States' similar designation five years earlier. FIFA Secretary-General Mattias Grafstrom expressed regret over the inconvenience and disappointment experienced by the Iranians in Canada and invited the FFIRI to Zurich on May 20 for discussions regarding their World Cup preparations.
Assurances Sought
In an interview with state broadcaster IRIB on Tuesday, Taj emphasized that he would seek firm assurances from FIFA regarding the treatment of the Iranian delegation in the U.S. “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,” he stated on the sidelines of a pro-government night rally in Tehran. He added, “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.”
World Cup Logistics
The United States, Canada, and Mexico are jointly hosting the World Cup from June 11 to July 19. Iran is scheduled to play two group games in Los Angeles and one in Seattle. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio indicated last week that Washington has no objections to Iranian players participating in the tournament, but no individuals with ties to the IRGC will be admitted to the country. Taj, who previously served as a high-ranking official with the IRGC in Isfahan Province before transitioning to soccer administration, warned that without ironclad guarantees, the Iranian delegation might turn back at the U.S. border.
Political Context
“We are going to the World Cup, for which we qualified, and our host is FIFA - not Mr. Trump or America,” Taj asserted. “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's participation in the World Cup has been uncertain since the U.S. and Israel launched airstrikes on the Islamic Republic in late February. With Iranian top-flight football suspended, home-based players have been in a training camp in Tehran preparing for the tournament. Taj mentioned that the FFIRI hopes to arrange at least one friendly match with a strong team in neighboring Turkey, where Iran previously played Nigeria and Costa Rica in late March.
