Iran Accuses U.S. of Violating FIFA World Cup 2026 Hosting Obligations

Tehran:Iran has accused the United States of failing to meet its obligations as a host nation for the **FIFA World Cup 2026**, alleging that members of the Iranian national football team and its delegation faced discriminatory treatment during the tournament.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson **Esmaeil Baghaei** described the U.S. approach as politically motivated, claiming that the Iranian team was subjected to treatment inconsistent with the standards expected of a World Cup host.

In a statement, Baghaei said several members of the team’s coaching staff and officials from the Iranian Football Federation were denied U.S. visas. He added that visa-related difficulties had been a major issue from the outset of the tournament.

He also alleged that the Iranian national team was accommodated at a location away from its designated match venue, describing the arrangements as inconsistent with normal hosting requirements.

Earlier, Iran captain **Mehdi Taremi** had also criticized the tournament hosts, alleging unfair treatment. He said **FIFA** had promised to address the issues, but claimed that no meaningful improvements were made and that members of Iran’s logistics staff and media delegation were unable to obtain visas.

Iran was eliminated from the **FIFA World Cup 2026** before reaching the knockout stage.

The United States and FIFA had not immediately responded to the allegations at the time of reporting.