The Iranian government on April 18 formally submitted a request to FIFA and the U.S. government, demanding that the United States guarantee Iran’s spot at the 2026 World Cup. The request comes amid rising bilateral tensions and concerns that sanctions or political obstacles could prevent the Iranian team from competing in soccer’s biggest tournament.
In its letter, Iran stressed that guaranteeing the right to participate in the World Cup is an obligation of the host nation—the United States, which is co-hosting the event with Canada and Mexico—and called on FIFA to intervene to preserve the neutrality of sport. Tehran declared it would not accept any political justification for blocking the national team from playing.
The move follows new rounds of U.S. sanctions targeting Iran, including measures against individuals and entities linked to its nuclear and missile programs. So far, Washington has not issued an official response to Iran’s demand.
