WANA (Oct 07) – The International Federation of Football Associations (FIFA) has reportedly proposed an unusual solution to the U.S. government’s refusal to issue visas for members of Iran’s national football team, opting not to pressure Washington directly.
According to Mohammed Al-Jazzar, a journalist with Germany’s DPA news agency, FIFA is considering holding the World Cup 2026 draw for Iran’s group in Mexico instead of the United States. The move comes amid Washington’s delay in granting visas to Iran’s head coach Amir Ghalenoei, Football Federation president Mehdi Taj, and seven accompanying officials.
Global Outcry Against FIFA and the U.S. After Political Move Against Iranian Football
WANA (Oct 04) – The U.S. government’s refusal to issue visas for Amir Ghalenoei, head coach of Iran’s national football team, and Mehdi Taj, president of the Iranian Football Federation, ahead of the 2026 World Cup draw, has sparked widespread backlash among international users and media outlets. Many social media users described the move as […]
The Iranian Football Federation’s spokesperson had earlier confirmed that the U.S. had not yet issued the required visas, preventing the delegation from attending the official World Cup draw ceremony. The federation has been in talks with FIFA to resolve the issue.
Reports from Al-Watan suggest that FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who maintains close ties with former U.S. President Donald Trump, views holding the draw in Mexico as a possible workaround to the visa impasse.
The U.S. government’s stance has been widely criticized as a politically motivated act, seen as contrary to FIFA’s principles of neutrality and non-discrimination.
FIFA’s Solution for Iran National Team’s U.S. Travel Issue. Social media/ WANA News Agency