Iran Finally Decides To Attend The 2026 World Cup Draw After Threatening Boycott

FFIRI Presient, Mehdi Taj (center), did not get Visa to attend the 2026 World Cup drawing (doc. FFIRI).

JAKARTA - Representative of the Iran National Team (Timnas) finally decided to appear on the drawing agenda or draw for the 2026 World Cup group phase. The decision became a breath of fresh air after Iran had previously threatened a boycott.

The 2026 World Cup draw will take place at the Kennedy Center, Washington DC, United States, on Friday, December 5, 2025, local time or Saturday, December 6, 2025, early morning WIB.

The draw for the 2026 World Cup will be attended by 42 teams, including Iran. Quoted from AFP, Iran confirmed that it would send delegates in the drawing.

"Amir Ghalenoei, head coach of the Iranian national team, will participate in the 2026 World Cup draw ceremony as technical representatives of the football national team along with one or two other people," a spokesman for the Iranian Football Federation (FFIRI) told state television.

Previously, Iran was said to intend to boycott the 2026 World Cup drawing event. This happened because there were several of their delegates who did not get visas from the United States on Friday, November 28, 2025.

The Iranian sports site, Varzesh 3, even reported that one of the Iranian delegates who did not receive the visa was FFIRI President Mehdi Taj.

"We have informed FIFA President Gianni Infantino that this is purely a political position. FIFA must tell them (the United States) to stop this behavior," Taj said at the time.

However, now four Iranian delegates, including Ghalenoei, have received visas from the United States for the 2026 World Cup drawing.

A total of 42 state teams have qualified for the 2026 World Cup and will take part in the draw. Meanwhile, the remaining six tickets for the 2026 World Cup will be contested through the playoff round between the confederation and the UEFA zone.