US allows Iran to play 2026 World Cup but bars IRGC-linked staff
The US will allow Iran's soccer team to play in the 2026 World Cup but won't let them bring staff tied to Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Wednesday that Iranian players can participate in the tournament.
The US government cleared Iran's national soccer team to compete in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the decision Wednesday.
But there's a catch. Iranian players won't be allowed to bring staff members who have ties to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, known as the IRGC. The US considers this military force a terrorist organization.
Rubio said Washington has no objections to Iranian players participating in the tournament itself. The decision separates the athletes from Iran's political and military leadership.
The 2026 World Cup will be the first time the tournament is held partly in the US since 1994. Iran has qualified for multiple World Cups and played in the 2022 tournament in Qatar, where political tensions also created controversy around the team.
This affects one of the world's biggest sporting events happening in North America. It shows how political tensions between the US and Iran could impact international sports and which Iranian officials can enter the country.
Iran must qualify for the 2026 World Cup through regular competition, and the US will review any staff members the team wants to bring.
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