Iran at 2026 World Cup: Iran absent at FIFA Congress, but will be at World Cup

Iran was the only country not represented at FIFA’s annual congress in Canada on Thursday.

But Gianni Infantino, president of world football’s governing body, reiterated that the country will “participate” in this summer’s World Cup, which will be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Iran’s participation in the tournament is uncertain because of the war with the United States and Israel.

But Infantino added: “Of course, Iran will play America. The reason is simple, because we have to unite. We have to unite people.”

Officials from Iran’s football federation, including its president Mehdi Taj, were scheduled to attend the FIFA congress in Vancouver, but were not the only nation among the 211 in attendance.

Iran’s Tasnim news agency earlier reported the delegation’s return to border controls, citing their treatment by Canadian immigration authorities.

Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand said her understanding was that the entry into the country was a “withdrawal”.

The Taj is said to have ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which is designated a terrorist organization in Canada.