Iran will be represented at the 2026 World Cup draw in the United States on Friday, despite earlier threats to boycott the event following a dispute over entry visas.

The Iranian federation applied for nine visas but received approval for only four. Among those denied was the president of the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran (FFIRI), Mehdi Taj.

Taj said this week that he had spoken directly with FIFA president Gianni Infantino and warned that Iran would stay away from the draw “unless all visas are issued”.

Despite that stance, Iran coach Amir Ghalenoi and Omid Jamali, who leads international relations at the FFIRI, have already arrived in the US. More officials may still join them if additional approvals are granted.

The draw will be held in Washington DC on Friday at 3 p.m. Nigerian time, as preparations continue for a tournament that will be co-hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico. Iran has qualified for their seventh World Cup and their fourth appearance in a row.

The dispute comes against a backdrop of long-standing US visa restrictions on Iranian nationals, which are linked to wider political and security tensions between the two countries.

In June, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order banning citizens from 12 countries from entering the United States, saying the measure was designed to “manage security threats”.

Iran is among the countries listed in the order, although exemptions are meant to cover athletes and coaching staff competing at major events, including the 2026 World Cup and the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

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