FIFA holds ‘positive’ talks with Iranian football officials on World Cup
Key takeaways
- FIFA offers solutions for each of Iran’s concerns before games in US, Iran’s football chief says.
- “We’ve had an excellent meeting and constructive meeting together with the Iran football association,” Grafstrom told the Reuters news agency on Saturday.
- More questions have arisen after the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran (FFIRI) President Taj was refused entry to Canada for the FIFA Congress in Vancouver this month.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
FIFA offers solutions for each of Iran’s concerns before games in US, Iran’s football chief says.
xwhatsapp-strokecopylinkgoogle Add Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran President Mehdi Taj, right, met FIFA Secretary-General Mattias Grafstrom in Istanbul, Turkiye [Murad Sezer/Reuters]By Reuters Published On 17 May 202617 May 2026FIFA Secretary-General Mattias Grafstrom says he held a constructive and positive meeting with Iran’s football chief, Mehdi Taj, expressing confidence about the country’s participation at the World Cup.
“We’ve had an excellent meeting and constructive meeting together with the Iran football association,” Grafstrom told the Reuters news agency on Saturday. “We’re working closely together and looking very much forward to welcoming them in the FIFA World Cup.”