The Iranian Sports Ministry cited athlete security concerns as Tractor SC faces a playoff against a UAE club in Saudi Arabia—raising questions about Iran’s participation in the upcoming World Cup.
TEHRAN — Iran has imposed an immediate ban on its sports teams traveling to countries it considers “hostile,” Iranian state television reported Thursday, a move that threatens to upstage upcoming Asian football fixtures and casts further uncertainty over the national team’s participation in the World Cup.
The directive from Iran’s Ministry of Sports comes nearly a month after US-Israeli attacks on Iran escalated into open warfare on February 28. While the statement did not specify which nations fall under the designation, the ban was announced just as Iranian club Tractor SC was drawn to face Shabab Al Ahli of Dubai in Saudi Arabia—a country with which Iran has long had strained relations.
‘Security of Athletes’ Cited
The Ministry of Sports said the prohibition applies to “countries that are considered hostile and are unable to ensure the security of Iranian athletes and team members.”
“The presence of national and club teams in such countries is prohibited until further notice,” the statement read, adding that the football federation and clubs are responsible for notifying the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) to request the relocation of affected matches.
Tractor’s playoff game—a quarterfinal clash in the AFC Champions League—was scheduled to take place next month in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The match is part of the western zone playoffs, which were postponed following the outbreak of war and have now been rescheduled for April 13-14. Jeddah is also set to host the tournament’s quarterfinals, semifinals, and final from April 16-25.
World Cup Participation in Doubt?
The ban did not explicitly address the 2026 World Cup, which is scheduled to be held in Canada, Mexico, and the United States from June to July. However, the implications are significant.
Iran has already qualified for the 48-nation tournament, but its participation has been in question since US President Donald Trump publicly discouraged the team from attending, citing safety concerns. Iranian officials have since been negotiating with FIFA to relocate the team’s three group-stage matches from the US to Mexico.
Last week, FIFA President Gianni Infantino dealt a blow to those efforts, stating that global football’s governing body intends for the tournament “to go ahead as scheduled” without changes to the host arrangement.
Iranian government and football officials have maintained they do not wish to boycott the World Cup but insist that traveling to the US is untenable given the ongoing military conflict involving American and Israeli forces.
Preparations Continue Abroad
Despite the uncertainty, Iran’s national team is currently in Turkiye preparing for friendly internationals against Nigeria on Friday and Costa Rica on Tuesday. The squad’s training camp abroad reflects the careful navigation Iranian sports authorities are undertaking as they balance athletic commitments with national security concerns.
The Iranian ambassador in Mexico City has previously confirmed that the country was in talks with FIFA to move its World Cup matches from the US. However, with the new travel ban now formalized, it remains unclear whether Iran will seek a broader exemption for the World Cup or press harder for venue changes.
What Comes Next?
The AFC has yet to respond publicly to Iran’s ban. Relocating matches from Saudi Arabia on short notice would pose logistical challenges, with the Champions League playoffs just weeks away.
Meanwhile, the ban sets a precedent that could affect other Iranian sports teams competing in regional or international tournaments hosted in countries Tehran deems hostile. The statement leaves the definition of “hostile nations” ambiguous, giving the ministry wide discretion to apply the ban on a case-by-case basis.
As tensions persist across the region, Iran’s sports diplomacy—already fraught with political overtones—now faces one of its most complex tests in decades.
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