Country Banned From Attending World Cup Draw in Unpredecented Move
Nine officials have been barred from the draw in Washington D.C.
Featured Image Credit: Getty
Topics: Donald Trump, United States, FIFA World Cup
Ryan Smart
Topics: Donald Trump, United States, FIFA World Cup
The United States have banned one country and its officials from attending the 2026 FIFA World Cup draw, it has been claimed.
The World Cup takes place in the United States, Canada and Mexico next summer.
The draw itself will be made on December 5 at the John F. Kennedy Center in Washington D.C.
US President Donald Trump is set to be present at the draw alongside FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
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It will be the first World Cup to be played under an expanded format of 48 teams, with a host of nations already having qualified.
Two of those nations - Jordan and Uzbekistan - will be making their World Cup debuts, with Uzbekistan having reached an agreement to appoint 2006 World Cup winner Fabio Cannavaro as their new manager on Thursday.
But a third qualified nation from Asia will have no officials present in Washington for the draw.
The football federation of Iran claims that the United States has blocked its entire delegation from entering the country in December.
President Trump added Iran to a 12-nation travel ban list in July.
A proclamation from Trump's administration claimed that the country is 'the source of significant terrorism around the world', does not co-operate on security risks and 'has historically failed to accept back its removable nationals'.
Those claims have all been denied by the Iranian regime.
Iranian Football Federation (FFI) spokesman Amir-Mehdi Alavi confirmed to national newspaper Spragh (via COPE) that nine Iranian officials have been barred from the draw, including president Mehdi Taj and head coach Amir Ghalenoei.
There are concerns that Iranian supporters will face difficulties in entering the United States for the tournament itself.
The FFI are hopeful that Iran's fixtures can be scheduled in Canada and Mexico to get around the US travel ban, and will raise their ban from the draw with FIFA president Infantino.
SPORTbible have contacted FIFA for comment.
All bar one of the World Cup groups have at least three games scheduled to take place in the US.
The only exception is Group A, which features co-hosts Mexico - with only one game set to be hosted by the States.
On Thursday, FIFA vice-president Victor Montagliani stated that they had sole jurisdiction over moving matches after Trump suggested he may attempt to move games away from Democrat states.
"It's FIFA's tournament, FIFA's jurisdiction, FIFA makes those decisions," Montagliani said.
"With all due respect to current world leaders, football is bigger than them and football will survive their regime and their government and their slogans.
"That's the beauty of our game, that it is bigger than any individual and bigger than any country."