It should be nothing less than a “milestone” on the way to becoming the “biggest sporting event of all time”. The eyes of the world will be on Washington DC when the lottery tickets for the summer World Cup are drawn next Friday at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts from 12 p.m. local time. But one participating country will then be missing – Iran is boycotting the ceremony not far from the White House.
The reason: The USA apparently refused visas to several representatives of the Iranian delegation. “We informed FIFA that the decisions made have nothing to do with sports and that the members of the Iranian delegation will not take part in the World Cup draw,” the Iranian Football Association spokesman said on state television.
Local media had reported that the USA had refused entry permission to the association president Mehdi Taj in particular. The United States and Iran have not had diplomatic relations for more than four decades. “We want to unite the world, and we will unite the world next year,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino recently said. And that it is “very clear” “that politics should be kept out of football and football should be kept out of politics.”
But this project is more in danger of failing than ever. Last but not least, US President Donald Trump has long since made the mega event in the USA, Canada and Mexico (June 11 to July 19, 2026) his political football. For example, Trump recently threatened to move World Cup games from strongholds of his political opponents if, in his opinion, crime was too high or if the local leadership did not cooperate.
The 79-year-old did not even rule out attacks against neighboring Mexico, which will host 13 World Cup games, in the fight against drugs. And Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem made it clear that all fans should please leave the USA as quickly as possible after the World Cup. The political news surrounding the XXL tournament repeatedly dominates the headlines. Apparently, Taj has already demanded that Infantino intervene with the relevant US authorities because of the rejected visa in order to “stop this behavior,” as he said, according to the semi-official Tehran-based news agency MNA.