Amidst escalating geopolitical tensions, Iran’s Ministry of Sports has issued a directive prohibiting the national football team and domestic clubs from traveling to countries it deems ‘hostile’ until further notice. This new mandate adds another significant hurdle to Iran’s increasingly uncertain participation in the upcoming FIFA World Cup, where they are currently scheduled to play in the United States in June. Efforts by Iran to relocate its World Cup matches to Mexico are widely considered unlikely by experts, citing immense logistical challenges that would affect all teams within their group.
Notably, this order was announced by the Iranian minister just prior to an AFC Champions League Round of 16 match between Tractor and Shabab Al Ahli of Dubai, which was slated to take place in Saudi Arabia next month. While the directive was issued, a specific list of countries classified as ‘hostile’ has not been publicly disclosed, and the order itself did not explicitly mention the FIFA World Cup.
The Ministry’s statement clarified: “The presence of national teams and clubs in countries considered hostile and unable to ensure the safety of Iranian athletes and team members is forbidden until further notice.” It further stipulated that national football federations and clubs bear the responsibility of notifying the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) to arrange for the relocation of affected matches.