Iran Football Chief Demands US Not Insult Revolutionary Guard at World Cup
Hafsa Adil
Iran's football chief Mehdi Taj insists the national team will only play at the 2026 World Cup in the US if the Americans guarantee not to insult the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), citing a recent incident in Canada where a delegation was turned away at the airport. Taj plans to meet FIFA leaders this month to secure such guarantees.
The president of the Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran (FFIRI), Mehdi Taj, said on May 6 that preparations for Iran's 2026 World Cup campaign are ongoing, but participation will hinge on guarantees from co-host the United States that it will respect Iran's armed forces, especially the IRGC.
Speaking on state television IRIB, Taj stated: “The Americans, if they guarantee not to insult our military organizations and the IRGC, we will go. If they give a guarantee that an incident like that in Canada will not happen, we will go.”
Taj referred to an incident last week when a FFIRI delegation was forced to turn back at Toronto's main airport, claiming mistreatment by Canadian immigration officers, which caused them to miss a pre-World Cup FIFA meeting in Vancouver. According to FFIRI, the delegation members, despite holding valid visas, had to return to Turkey due to “unacceptable behavior by immigration officials” and “insults to one of the most honorable bodies of Iran’s armed forces.”
In 2024, Canada designated the IRGC as a terrorist organization. The Canadian government confirmed Taj was denied entry due to alleged links to the IRGC, asserting that “IRGC officials are not allowed into Canada.”
Referring to the U.S.-Israel war against Iran that began on February 28, Taj emphasized that “our host is FIFA, not Mr. Trump or the United States.” According to Iran’s Health Ministry, at least 3,468 people have been killed and more than 26,500 wounded in the U.S.-Israel attacks. Iran has conducted retaliatory strikes.
Regarding World Cup participation plans, Taj said he will meet FIFA President Gianni Infantino and Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom in Zurich this month. There, he will request assurances that the team and accompanying officials will not face entry restrictions or “disrespect,” particularly toward Iranian state institutions. “We need a guarantee that they are not entitled to insult the symbols of our system – especially the IRGC. If there is a clear guarantee, the incident like that in Canada will not recur.”
Iran’s national team, which was one of the first to qualify for the World Cup, is fully preparing. Plans include domestic training camps and a stint in Turkey before departing for the United States in June. The team will leave for Turkey on May 12 for final preparations. In the group stage, Team Melli faces New Zealand (June 15 in Los Angeles), Belgium (June 21 at the same venue), and Egypt (June 26 in Seattle).
