TEHRAN, Iran — Iranian state television reported on Thursday that Iran has prohibited its sports teams from competing in nations deemed “hostile.” This announcement comes just before Traktor Sazi FC’s upcoming soccer match in Saudi Arabia.
The ban, issued by Iran’s Ministry of Sports in Tehran, did not reference the World Cup set to commence on June 11 in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
The ministry specifically mentioned the Traktor match against Shabab Al Ahli of Dubai, scheduled to take place in Saudi Arabia next month as part of the round-of-16 in the Asian Champions League Elite.
“The participation of national and club teams in nations considered hostile, which cannot guarantee the safety of Iranian athletes and team members, is prohibited until further notice,” the statement read.
The ongoing conflict in the region has left nearly every Middle Eastern country affected by missile strikes, drone attacks, or trailing debris.
Traktor’s playoff match in Saudi Arabia followed a draw by the Asian Football Confederation on Wednesday to finalize quarterfinal matchups. This occurred a day after they announced a rescheduled date of April 13-14 for the western zone playoffs, which had been postponed due to the regional conflict.
Jeddah, the host city, is also set to accommodate the quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals of the tournament from April 16-25, with organizers optimistic for peace in the area.
The Iranian ministry stated that the soccer federation and affiliated clubs “will need to inform the Asian Football Confederation about this matter to seek relocation of the matches.”
The Iranian ambassador in Mexico City has indicated that negotiations are underway with FIFA to relocate Iran’s three group-stage games from the U.S. to Mexico, following comments from U.S. President Donald Trump raising safety concerns about attending the 48-nation tournament.
However, FIFA President Gianni Infantino has recently dampened Iran’s hopes of shifting its World Cup games, asserting that the governing body of international soccer intends for the tournament to proceed as planned.
Iranian government and soccer officials have expressed their desire not to boycott the World Cup, but they feel it is impossible for the national team to travel to the U.S. in light of military actions taken by Israel and the U.S. since February 28.
Information from The Associated Press was utilized in this report.