Japan and New Zealand have already secured the first tickets from a long list of countries that will be present at the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, the first of these tournaments that will have 48 teams competing. This Tuesday Argentina and also Iran could join.
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The classification of the Albiceleste, which was never in doubt anyway, will be a great joy for the Organizing Committee, as it ensures the presence of the defending champion and, most likely, of Lionel Messi, the best football player of the last 20 years.
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But the case of Iran is completely different and could mean a major headache for FIFA and the organizers.
What is the issue with Iran’s classification?
Iran has had an almost perfect campaign in the third round of the Asian qualifiers and in the next three games, they only need to earn one more point to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
That could happen this Tuesday, when they host Uzbekistan in Tehran.
The problem is that a few days ago, as revealed by the New York Times, the US Department of State is evaluating a list of 43 countries to prohibit the entry of their citizens to US soil.
According to this information, the list will be divided into three colors: red, orange, and yellow. Iran will be on the red list along with Afghanistan, Bhutan, Cuba, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela, and Yemen.
In theory, an exception is expected to be extended through FIFA for members of the official delegation, which would include players, coaches, assistants, medical staff, and executives. But what will happen to the fans? As of now, the situation for any Iranian who wants to enter the United States is virtually impossible, since there is no American embassy in Tehran, they must first travel to countries like Turkey or the United Arab Emirates to apply for a visa.
The predecessor of the World Cup in Indonesia
But what happens if, as so many times, Donald Trump goes off script and wants to ban the entry of the Iran national team?
A few days ago, the President of the United States sent a diplomatic letter addressed to the Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and gave him a two-month deadline to reach a new nuclear agreement.
In 2023, the president of Indonesia, the nation with the largest number of Muslims in the world, objected to Israel’s presence in the U20 World Cup and FIFA stripped them of the tournament’s organization just eight weeks before it started. Ultimately, the event took place in Argentina.
Venezuela, another country that would be on Trump’s red list, could also qualify for the 2026 World Cup through the intercontinental playoff.