Iran announced a boycott of the 2026 FIFA World Cup draw due to visa problems with the United States

Iran is boycotting the draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup due to the fact that the US authorities did not issue visas to several members of the delegation. This was announced on November 28 by a representative of the Iranian Football Federation.

"We have informed FIFA (the International Football Federation. — Ed.) that the decisions taken are not related to sports, and the members of the Iranian delegation will not participate in the World Cup draw," Al Arabiya TV channel quoted him as saying.

The World Cup draw will be held on December 5 in Washington. The World Cup itself will be held from June 11 to July 19, 2026 in the USA, Canada and Mexico.

Visa survey: the United States clarified the entry rules for Russians at the 2026 World Cup

You can still apply only in Astana and Warsaw.

On November 17, US President Donald Trump, commenting on the preparations for the World Cup, spoke about his instructions to the White House to make this event "unprecedentedly successful." He noted that the team, led by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and representatives of the Department of Homeland Security, organized a thorough check of fans before entering the country.

All important news is on the Izvestia channel in the MAX messenger.