Printed On 30 Apr 2026
An Iranian soccer federation delegation says it turned again at Toronto’s major airport this week, citing their remedy by Canadian immigration, and is ready to overlook a pre-World Cup FIFA gathering in Vancouver.
Iran’s Tasnim Information Company reported on Wednesday that the delegation members, together with federation President Mehdi Taj, Secretary-Common Hedayat Mombeni and his deputy, Hamed Momeni, turned again upon arrival at Toronto’s Pearson airport regardless of holding legitimate visas, citing what was described because the “unacceptable behaviour of immigration officers”.
The Iranian delegation was en path to Vancouver for Thursday’s FIFA Congress, which is supposed to convey collectively representatives of all 211 member associations earlier than the World Cup being cohosted by Canada, the USA and Mexico.
“Whereas Mehdi Taj, president, Hedayat Mombeni, secretary-general, and Hamed Momeni, deputy secretary-general of the federation, had travelled to Toronto with official visas to attend the FIFA Congress, they returned to Turkey on the primary out there flight as a result of unacceptable behaviour of immigration officers on the airport and the insult to one of the honourable organs of the Iranian nation’s armed forces,” the Iran soccer federation stated in a press release.
In 2024, Canada listed Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organisation, and statements from the Canadian authorities indicated that Taj was denied entry resulting from his alleged ties with the IRGC.
“Whereas we can’t touch upon particular person circumstances resulting from privateness legal guidelines, the federal government has been clear and constant: IRGC officers are inadmissible to Canada and don’t have any place in our nation,” the Canadian authorities stated in a press release.
“We’ve got taken sturdy motion to carry the IRGC to account and can proceed to achieve this, whereas defending the protection of Canadians and upholding the integrity of our immigration system.”
Nevertheless, Canadian Overseas Affairs Minister Anita Anand stated it was her “understanding” that Iranian soccer officers had been denied entry into the nation however added that the denial was “unintentional”.
“It’s not my private lead, however my understanding is that there’s a revocation of the permission. It was unintentional, however I’ll depart it to the minister to point,” Anand stated, apparently referring to Immigration Minister Lena Diab.
Canada’s Public Security Minister Gary Anandasangaree stated he couldn’t discuss particular circumstances resulting from privateness laws, however IRGC members weren’t welcome in Canada.
The incident that occurred on Tuesday underscores the sensible and political obstacles surrounding Iran’s participation within the World Cup, essentially the most politically delicate merchandise on FIFA’s agenda because the US and Israel launched a battle on Iran in February.
Iran’s qualification has not eliminated hurdles tied to journey, visas and safety in a match staged in three international locations.
Whereas FIFA has insisted fixtures will proceed as scheduled, the delegation’s withdrawal deepens doubts over whether or not Iranian gamers, officers and supporters will have the ability to transfer freely throughout borders through the match.
FIFA has since contacted the Iranian delegation to specific remorse over the incident and indicated that President Gianni Infantino would organize a gathering with them on the organisation’s headquarters, the Tasnim report added.
The FIFA Congress is normally a routine gathering, however carries higher weight this yr with the World Cup lower than two months away and a number of other questions, together with price and Iran’s participation, nonetheless hanging over the primary 48-team version of the match.
The Iranian officers had been additionally unable to attend Tuesday’s Asian Soccer Confederation congress, which was held in Vancouver.
