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FIFA Secretary-General Mattias Grafstrom is set to meet officials from Iran’s football federation in Istanbul on Saturday to discuss concerns surrounding the country’s participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, according to a source familiar with the talks.
The meeting comes as uncertainty continues to build over Iran’s path to the tournament, despite the national team having already secured qualification on the pitch. Iran are due to play all three of their group-stage matches in the United States during the World Cup, which will run from June 11 to July 19 across the U.S., Canada and Mexico.
According to the Reuters, Grafstrom is expected to offer reassurance to officials from the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran (FFIRI) as questions continue to swirl around travel and entry arrangements for Iranian officials and delegation members.
Concerns intensified after FFIRI President Mehdi Taj was reportedly denied entry to Canada earlier this month to attend the FIFA Congress in Vancouver due to alleged links to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), an elite Iranian military force designated as a terrorist organization by both the United States and Canada.
The issue has sparked wider fears in Tehran over whether Iranian players, coaching staff and federation representatives could face restrictions when travelling to the host countries for football’s biggest tournament.
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Kazem Gharibabadi argued this week that FIFA had a responsibility to make sure every qualified nation and its delegation could take part without discrimination.
“The Iranian national football team has earned its right to participate on the field in accordance with FIFA regulations,” Gharibabadi said, warning that any barriers affecting players, coaching staff, officials or key delegation members would undermine the tournament’s credibility.
A source familiar with the discussions said FIFA is working closely with relevant authorities to ensure all participating teams can compete in a safe and secure environment.
While Iran had reportedly asked FIFA to switch its World Cup matches from the United States to Mexico, FIFA President Gianni Infantino is understood to have insisted that all fixtures remain at their originally scheduled venues.
Iran’s national team is expected to leave Tehran for a training camp in Türkiye on Monday before heading to its U.S. training base at Kino Sports Complex in Tucson, Arizona, in early June.
Iran are scheduled to open their World Cup campaign against New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15.
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