Missing World Cup will be loss of major diplomatic asset – Iran FA
Iran’s football federation has warned that missing the 2026 FIFA World Cup would amount to losing a major diplomatic asset for the country, as debates continue over Tehran’s participation amid heightened political tensions. Federation president Mehdi Taj stressed that Iran’s presence at the tournament in the United States, Mexico and Canada would provide a rare soft power platform at a time of strained relations with Western governments. Taj reiterated that the World Cup is organised and “hosted” by FIFA, not by any single country, pushing back against efforts to politicise Iran’s participation. He argued that football and diplomacy are intertwined, and that Iran’s national team represents an important channel for engagement with global audiences beyond formal government contacts. In recent weeks, Iranian officials have demanded a series of guarantees from FIFA and the 2026 co hosts over visas, security and […]
