Iran Delegation Boycotts FIFA Congress Over ‘Unacceptable’ Treatment by Canadian Immigration

An official delegation from Iran national football team will not attend Thursday’s FIFA Congress in Vancouver after turning back at a Canadian airport, citing what they described as “unacceptable behaviour” by immigration officials.

According to Iran’s semi-official Tasnim News Agency, the delegation — which included federation president Mehdi Taj, secretary general Hedayat Mombeni, and deputy secretary general Hamed Momeni — was denied entry upon arrival at Toronto airport despite holding valid visas.

The group had been scheduled to participate in the FIFA Congress, an event that brings together all 211 member associations ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by Canada, United States, and Mexico.

In a statement carried by Tasnim, the Iranian Football Federation said the officials returned to Turkey on the first available flight following what it described as an “insult” linked to one of Iran’s military institutions.

Mehdi Taj, who previously served as a commander in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), was among those affected. Responding to the incident, the Canadian government stated that privacy laws prevent it from commenting on individual cases but reiterated its firm stance on the IRGC.

“IRGC officials are inadmissible to Canada and have no place in our country,” the statement read. “We have taken strong action to hold the IRGC accountable and will continue to do so while safeguarding Canadians and maintaining the integrity of our immigration system.”

Canada officially designated the IRGC as a terrorist organisation in 2024.

Iran’s participation in this summer’s World Cup had already been under scrutiny following heightened geopolitical tensions earlier this year, including joint military actions involving the United States and Israel, and Iran’s subsequent retaliatory strikes in the Gulf region. The situation has made the issue one of the most politically sensitive topics on FIFA’s agenda.

The latest incident in Toronto further highlights the logistical and diplomatic challenges surrounding Iran’s involvement in the tournament.

Football’s governing body, FIFA, has since contacted the Iranian delegation to express regret over the situation. According to Tasnim, FIFA President Gianni Infantino is expected to arrange a meeting with Iranian officials at the organisation’s headquarters in Switzerland.

Despite securing automatic qualification through the Asian confederation, Iran continue to face significant obstacles relating to travel, visas, and security — concerns that have been amplified by the multi-country hosting format of the tournament.

While FIFA maintains that Iran will participate and that fixtures will proceed as planned, the delegation’s withdrawal has intensified uncertainty over whether Iranian players, officials, and supporters will be able to move freely between host nations.

Last week, Marco Rubio stated that Washington has no objection to Iranian players competing in the World Cup, but emphasised that individuals with ties to the IRGC would not be permitted to accompany them.

Iran have been drawn in Group G and are scheduled to face New Zealand national football team on 15 June and Belgium national football team on 21 June in Los Angeles, before taking on Egypt national football team in Seattle on 26 June.

The Iranian federation had previously requested that all of their matches be relocated to Mexico, but that proposal was rejected by FIFA.