TEHRAN – Iran's football federation will not attend the 2026 FIFA World Cup draw after two top officials were denied visas.

The draw ceremony will be held in Washington, DC, next week.

The United States has issued visas only for four members of the delegation — Amir Ghalenoei (head coach), Mehdi Kharati (executive director), Omid Jamali (director of international relations), and Amir Mehdi Alavi (spokesperson). Visa requests for Mehdi Taj, Mehdi Nabi, and Mehdi Malek-Abad were reportedly denied.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino, in early September, had assured the members of the Iran national team that FIFA would do its utmost to resolve visa-related issues.

“We have informed FIFA that the decisions taken are unrelated to sport and that the members of the Iranian delegation will not participate in the World Cup draw,” Alavi said.