GENEVA — Iranian soccer officials are expected to meet with FIFA in Zurich soon to discuss their World Cup matches scheduled for June in the United States.
On Friday, Iran’s top soccer official, Mehdi Taj, stated, “we have many issues to discuss,” following his return from Canada, where he could not attend FIFA’s annual congress held Thursday in Vancouver.
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FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafström has invited an Iranian delegation to its headquarters with a deadline set for May 20, according to a source familiar with the matter who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity due to its sensitive nature.
This meeting is scheduled just three weeks before the Iran team is set to arrive in the U.S., where they will train in Tucson, Arizona, ahead of three group games in Inglewood, California, and Seattle.
“We are planning to meet with FIFA shortly,” Taj confirmed to Iranian media on Friday.
Despite being considered a strong force in Asian soccer, Iran’s participation in the World Cup has come into question following military actions by the U.S. and Israel that began on February 28. The tournament is co-hosted by Canada and Mexico.
During his keynote address to global soccer leaders on Thursday, FIFA President Gianni Infantino noted that Iran was the only one of the 211 member federations absent, reaffirming that Iran will participate in the tournament as scheduled in the U.S.
Later on Thursday at the White House, U.S. President Donald Trump expressed support for Iran’s team, stating, “If Gianni said it, I’m OK with it.”
Trump and Infantino have developed a close alliance regarding World Cup preparations, which are complicated not only by Iran’s situation but also by challenges related to fan entry from several African nations and security issues.
This week, Taj and two other Iranian officials faced difficulties landing in Toronto on their way to Vancouver for FIFA’s annual meeting.
Taj detailed the issues with Canadian authorities but clarified that he was not deported. “In Canada, they asked us, ‘Are you members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps?’ We responded, ‘In Iran, 90 million of us are IRGC,'” Taj was quoted as saying by Iranian media.
After being detained for two hours at Toronto’s airport, the Iranian delegation, which had arrived from Istanbul, was given the option to continue their journey.
“There was some discussion, and they said, ‘It’s up to you,’ and we decided as a group to return” to Istanbul, Taj explained. “They did not officially deport us, and there is nothing labeled as deportation in our file, but in practice, it felt like that.”
Taj had a valid Canadian visa after being denied entry to the U.S. for the World Cup draw in Washington, D.C., on December 5, where Infantino awarded Trump with the first FIFA Peace Prize.
Iran is scheduled to play group matches against New Zealand, Belgium, and Egypt from June 15-26. The first two matches are set to take place at the NFL stadium of the Los Angeles Rams, while the third will be at the Seattle Seahawks‘ stadium.
If Iran finishes as runner-up in its group, they could potentially face the United States in the round of 32 at the Dallas Cowboys‘ stadium on July 3.
The Iranian soccer league was suspended following the outbreak of war and is not expected to resume before the World Cup. The national team has played two warm-up matches in March during a training camp in Antalya, Turkey, where they may return later this month to continue preparations for the World Cup, which kicks off on June 11.