Idman.biz
The Iranian delegation was not allowed to participate in the draw ceremony for the 2026 World Cup.
Idman.biz reports that the event will take place on December 5 in Washington. The Iranian national team qualified for the World Cup.
According to the media, US officials have rejected visa applications for nine members of the Iranian delegation, including Iranian Football Federation President Mehdi Taj and national team head coach Amir Galenoi, who were planning to participate in the draw ceremony.
Amir Mehdi Alavi, sports director of the Iranian national team, commented on the situation.
"The relevant process is still ongoing regarding visas for the Iranian leadership for both the draw and the FIFA seminars dedicated to the competition to be held in March.
What is happening is an initial reaction. This process will continue with our correspondence with FIFA, and it is entirely possible that new events will occur in the next two weeks, such as a change in the initial decision.
I can say with certainty that this process will be completed no later than the end of November. It is not true that the initial refusal was due to incomplete documents.
I have spoken with several federations whose teams have qualified for the World Cup, and this has happened to them as well. But we will not be able to say exactly until we receive a final answer in two weeks. With God's help, this issue will be resolved successfully," said Amir Mehdi Alavi.
The 2026 World Cup will be held next summer in the USA, Canada and Mexico.
