Iran announced that it will not send its delegation to the 2026 World Cup draw, scheduled for December 5 in Washington, after the United States denied visas to several of its representatives. The decision was confirmed by the state news agency IRNA, which reported that the country opted for a boycott in response to what it considers unjustified treatment unrelated to sport. Get 20% off UEFA Champions League broadcasts in Spanish on DAZN. Iranian federation spokesman Amir-Mahdi Alavi stated that the visa issues go beyond any sporting considerations. “The decisions made have nothing to do with sport, and the members of the Iranian delegation will not participate in the World Cup draw,” he affirmed. He explained that the federation has already informed FIFA of the situation in the hope that the organization could intervene, although they have not yet received a response. Political tensions and a direct appeal to FIFA: The lack of formal comments from the White House further fueled the controversy. The Iranian press recalled that President Donald Trump's administration announced in June a travel ban for citizens of 12 countries, including Iran. The list also includes Haiti, which recently qualified for the World Cup. Although the US government had promised exceptions for “any athlete or member of a sports team […] traveling for reasons related to the World Cup, Olympics, or other major sporting event,” it is unclear whether this exception applies to the draw. The delegation that planned to attend the Washington draw would have been headed by Mehdi Taj, president of the Iranian Football Federation and a high-ranking figure within the Asian Football Confederation. Taj also sits on two FIFA committees with responsibility for global competitions and men's national team football. The visa denial excludes him from a key event leading up to the tournament, which will be held from June 11 to July 19 in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, and will feature 48 teams for the first time. In Tehran,The federation insisted that the US gesture was motivated by political, not sporting, factors. Mehdi Taj stated that they had already informed FIFA President Gianni Infantino of this stance and asked the organization to separate diplomatic conflicts from football activities. So far, FIFA has not issued an official statement. Tensions between Washington and Tehran are not new. More than four decades of friction, intermittent attempts at nuclear negotiations, and recent episodes of military escalation have marked the bilateral relationship. Holding the draw on US soil brought these tensions back to the forefront, and for Iran, the episode confirms that political differences also impact the sporting arena. In strictly football terms, Iran secured its qualification for the World Cup in March and is preparing for its seventh appearance. The most memorable match against the United States occurred in France in 1998, when the Iranians won 2-1 in a game considered a national landmark. In Qatar 2022, however, a 1-0 defeat against the US team sealed their elimination in the group stage.