As the 2026 FIFA World Cup approaches football’s governing body is grappling with a sensitive geopolitical dilemma: Will Iran will be allowed to play matches on U.S. soil amid escalating political tensions between the two nations?
Hosted jointly by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, the world’s most famous sporting event is kicking up a headache as ongoing hostilities between Iran and the US continue to escalate.
Initially an exchange of missiles between Israel and Iran, the situation was intensified by American military action on nuclear sites as President Donald Trump authorized bombing; to which the scorned responded by striking a United States base in Qatar.
This has cast uncertainty over Iran’s participation, particularly regarding any fixtures on American territory, despite the Islamic nation having officially qualified for the tournament in March, securing a spot for their fourth consecutive appearance.
There are no direct FIFA regulations that prevent Iran from competing in the United States, despite the nation being subject to travel bans under U.S. immigration policy as Trump’s government tries to combat immigration.
The ban generally blocks Iranian citizens from entering the U.S., but it contains exemptions that may allow players, staff, and affiliated personnel to enter the country temporarily for sporting purposes.
“The Islamic Republic was included in the most severe travel restrictions,” reports Planet Football. “[Their] citizens of the nations are completely barred from entering the U.S. under any visa category, either as an immigrant or non-immigrant.”
Iran and the U.S. previously faced each other in the group stage of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar without incident. However, the neutral location made that encounter logistically simpler and politically less contentious.
FIFA has not issued an official statement regarding Iran’s participation in the U.S. portion of the 2026 tournament and with the global draw fast approaching, a definitive stance may need to be taken.
What can FIFA do to mitigate the Iran situation?
While there is no indication the U.S. will be stripped of hosting duties or that its national team will be affected, the situation highlights the fragility of international cooperation in high-profile sporting events.
The broader diplomatic tensions raise significant concerns for fan attendance as well. Given the U.S. travel ban, Iranian supporters are unlikely to attend games on American soil even if the team is permitted to compete there.
So how can FIFA manage these troubled waters? If they elect not to alter the existing framework of the competition, Iran would likely be drawn into a group with matches across the three host nations.
However, FIFA could potentially manipulate the draw to place Iran in Group A, which is assigned to Mexico, allowing them to play all group-stage games south of the U.S. border.
Should Iran win that group, subsequent matches in the Round of 32 and the Round of 16 could also be held in Mexico – but it becomes more difficult here after. For example, the World Cup Final will be played at the MetLife Stadium in New York City.
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