Iran to boycott World Cup draw in Washington after visa row

The Iranian Football Federation has announced that it will boycott next week’s World Cup finals draw in Washington after the United States refused to issue visas to several members of its delegation.

A federation spokesperson told state television that the decision was “not related to sports,” confirming that none of Iran’s officials will attend the December 5 event.

Taj’s Criticism

Reports from Iranian outlet Varzesh 3 indicated that visa requests were denied for multiple officials, including federation president Mehdi Taj. Taj condemned the move as political and said he had raised the matter directly with FIFA President Gianni Infantino:

“We have told FIFA that this is purely a political position and that FIFA must tell them to desist from this behaviour.”

Partial Access Granted

Despite the denials, Varzesh 3 reported that four members of the Iranian delegation, including head coach Amir Ghalenoei, were granted entry for the draw.

Iran’s World Cup Record

• Qualified in March 2025, sealing a fourth consecutive appearance and seventh overall.


• Have never reached the knockout stage.


• Their 2-1 victory over the United States in 1998 remains a landmark moment in World Cup history.

The boycott comes against the backdrop of decades-long tensions between Iran and the US. Nuclear negotiations earlier this year collapsed in June following an Israeli bombing campaign against Iran that triggered a 12-day conflict, during which the US briefly joined military action with strikes on Iranian nuclear sites.

This development underscores how geopolitical disputes continue to spill into football, with Iran’s absence from the draw highlighting the intersection of sport, diplomacy, and international politics.