FIFA facing scrutiny over World Cup in USA
FIFA is facing some difficult questions over the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada, and Mexico, over how to treat Iran as the country is in conflict with the USA. Currently, it has no provisions within its regulations to prevent the country from playing its group games in the US, despite Iran being hit with military action from Washington. Iranian citizens are under a travel ban, preventing them from entering the country, though it does contain an exemption for the players, team staff, and families.
Iran and the USA met in the group stages of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, and have qualified for their fourth consecutive tournament. The 2026 edition could see Iran given a specific slot in a group that could keep it from playing in the USA during the first round.
Group A matches are scheduled to be in Mexico. If it manages to qualify to the next round, it could still remain in Mexico for both the round-of-32 and round-of-16 matches. But after that, if Iran makes it further, they would then have to travel to America.
FIFA has not commented on the issue and is likely to be considering its options before the World Cup draw, set to happen in December. Its president, Gianni Infantino has close ties with US president Donald Trump.
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