Iran's participation in the 2026 World Cup was conditioned to a series of demands posed by the football federation of that country to the tournament organizers. Although the Iranian sports authorities They confirmed that the team will attend the World Cup, they also made clear that they expect guarantees related to security, visas and institutional respect in the complex international political scenario.

Subscribe to DAZN here and don't miss the UEFA Champions League.

The contest will be held between June 11 and July 19 in the United States, Mexico and Canada. However, the geopolitical tension between Iran and some of the host countries has generated concern ation within the Asian delegation, especially after the immigration restrictions adopted by Canada against Iranian leaders linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

The Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran reported that one of its main requests is related to unhindered entry s of all the members of the national team, including players and members of the technical corps who performed military service in the IRGC.

“All players and the technical corps, especially those who have fulfilled their military service in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps or IRGC, com o Mehdi Taremi and Ehsan Hajsafi, must receive visas without any problem,” declared Mehdi Taj, president of the Iranian federation, in statements reported by AFP.

The Iranian team plans to establish its concentration base in Tucson, Arizona. Its debut is scheduled for June 15 against New Zealand e n Los Angeles. Then they will face Belgium on June 21, also in Los Angeles, and closing the group stage against Egypt on June 27 in Seattle.

Political tension around the tournament

The Iranian case appears surrounded by a delicate diplomatic context. Canada declared the IRGC as a terrorist organization in 2024 and recently denied the entry of Iranian executives into the country. Est. United maintains a similar stance with respect to that military organism, although Secretary of State Marco Rubio assured that footballers will be able to enter U.S. territory.

Despite this, Rubio left open the possibility of restricting visas to members of the delegation with direct links to the IRGC.

From Tehran, the federation insisted that Iran's sports classification cannot be affected by external factors. “No external power can deprive Iran of its participation in a cup for which it has qualified with merit”, the body said.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino also supported Iranian participation and maintained that the matches scheduled in the United States will go ahead as planned.

The sports debate coincides with a moment of high tension in the Middle East. While diplomatic negotiations continue between Washington and Tehran, various media reported on recent clashes in the Gulf of Oman and new crossing accusations related to the ceasefire promoted by the United States.

According to Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ismail Bagaei, the government is currently analyzing a US proposal to move toward an agreement that includes the end of the war and future nuclear negotiations.