On Saturday, May 16, 2026, officials representing FFIRI met with FIFA representatives led by Secretary General Mattias Grafström.
Following the talks, Mattias Grafström said an understanding had been reached to ensure Iran will be among the teams competing at the World Cup.
“We had very good and constructive discussions between Iran and FIFA. We are therefore working together so that in the near future we can welcome them to the World Cup,” he said.
FFIRI President Mehdi Taj stated that the objectives behind the discussions with FIFA had been achieved, and that they are confident Iran will participate in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
“I was pleased that they listened to all 10 points Iran wanted to discuss and assured us of solutions to the issues we had raised on each point. I believe, God willing, our national team will participate in the World Cup and perform well without facing any obstacles,” he said.
One of the requests Iran made to FIFA was the removal of restrictions that could prevent members of Iran’s military force known as the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) from attending the World Cup.
Iran based this request on an incident at the end of April 2026, when its representatives were denied participation in the FIFA Congress held in Canada because Mehdi Taj previously served in the IRGC, which Canada classifies as a terrorist organization.
The FIFA World Cup will take place from June 11 to July 19, 2026. Iran is in Group G alongside Egypt, Belgium and New Zealand.
