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Iran qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and received placement in Group G alongside Belgium, Egypt and New Zealand. The team is scheduled to play two group stage matches at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, and one match at Lumen Field in Seattle. Additionally, Iran plans to establish its training base in Tucson, Arizona. The tournament will take place across the United States, Canada and Mexico beginning in June.
U.S. Launches Military Operation
President Donald Trump announced the commencement of missile strikes against Iran on Saturday. He described the mission as a “major combat operation” and stated that the United States launched the attacks jointly with Israel. The strikes targeted Iranian military installations, missile sites and naval assets. Iran responded by launching missiles at U.S. military bases across the Middle East, including facilities in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan.
FIFA Responds to Security Questions
FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom addressed concerns about Iran’s participation during the International Football Association Board’s annual general meeting in Cardiff, Wales, on Saturday. He stated that the organization is monitoring the situation but declined to provide detailed comments at this stage.”I read the news [about Iran] this morning the same way you did,” Grafstrom said. “We had a meeting today and it is premature to comment in detail, but we will monitor developments around all issues around the world.”
He added: “We had the finals draw in Washington in which all teams participated, and our focus is on a safe World Cup with all the teams participating.”
Commitment to Tournament Safety
Grafstrom emphasized that FIFA will maintain communication with host governments to ensure security for all participants. He expressed confidence that the tournament would proceed safely despite the escalating conflict.”We will continue to communicate as we always do with three [host] governments as we always do in any case,” he said. “Everybody will be safe.”
Visa and Travel Considerations
The security concerns add to existing questions about Iranian team members’ ability to enter the United States. The Trump administration imposed a travel ban on Iranian nationals in June 2025, though the order includes exceptions for athletes and support staff traveling for major sporting events such as the World Cup.
Mehdi Taj, president of the Iran Football Federation, warned in December that some national team players and staff members could face visa denials due to military backgrounds. Several Iranian players have served in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which the U.S. government has designated as a foreign terrorist organization. The U.S. State Department has not ruled out the possibility of visa denials for certain players.
