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Today's Paper | May 07, 2026

Published 07 May, 2026 10:28am

Iranian soccer chief says will meet FIFA to seek World Cup assurances in next few days

Iranian soccer chief Mehdi Taj has said he will have a meeting with FIFA President Gianni Infantino in the next three or four days at which he would seek assurances that his country will be respected at the World Cup in the United States.

Canada, which is co-hosting the June 11 to July 19 World Cup with the US and Mexico, has said it refused entry to Taj last week because of his links to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

Taj has said that Iran would not take part in the tournament if FIFA could not guarantee respect for the country’s institutions in the U.S., where the team will be based and play all three of their group matches.

“We will tell (FIFA) what our expectations are. If they can address them, we will definitely participate,” the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran (FFIRI) president tells state broadcaster IRIB in Tehran.

“But if there is no guarantee that they will be addressed, then no one has the right to insult us or the pillars of our system.

“And if they continue on the path of disrespect, and even ask our players those kinds of questions, we may make a different decision.”

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