Iran's football executives couldn't get into Canada. Their chairs sat empty at Tuesday's AFC Congress in Vancouver — a visual that says more about the state of world football right now than any speech could.
AFC general secretary Windsor John confirmed the absence during roll call, noting that "the Football Federation of Islamic Republic of Iran is unable to attend the 36th AFC Congress 2026 due to some visa formalities issues." Their commemorative shields — awarded to nations that have qualified for the 2026 World Cup — will be handed over "once they arrive." If they arrive.
Iran's visa problem isn't new — and it's getting worse
This isn't the first time Iranian officials have hit a wall at the border. Ahead of December's World Cup draw in Washington D.C., multiple Iranian delegates had visa applications denied, and the full delegation threatened a boycott before a small group ultimately attended. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio was blunt last week about why: concerns over IRGC ties among support staff and officials. "What they can't bring is a bunch of IRGC terrorists into our country," he said.
The athletes themselves appear safe — Trump's travel ban includes a carve-out for players, coaches, and necessary support staff. But the line between "support staff" and "executive" is blurry, and those decisions sit at the discretion of U.S. authorities. That's a lot of grey area for a delegation trying to plan a World Cup campaign.
Iran have qualified for the tournament. Whether anyone beyond the squad itself gets to experience it is another question entirely.
Iran weren't alone in struggling to get through the door
Palestine's vice president Susan Shalabi told reporters that 10 to 12 federations faced visa difficulties. The PFA's president, general secretary, and legal counsel were all initially denied. It took political pressure, social media campaigning, and media attention before the Canadian government reversed course — and even then, PFA president Jibril Rajoub missed Tuesday's AFC meeting, expected only in time for Thursday's FIFA Congress.
"Let's hope we don't face problems," Shalabi said when asked about travelling to the World Cup itself. That's not the kind of confidence you want from officials of a nation whose people are living through active conflict.
The broader picture here matters for anyone tracking World Cup participation markets. Trump has since expanded the travel ban beyond its original 12 countries — it now includes Senegal and Ivory Coast, both World Cup qualifiers. The exemption for athletes exists on paper. How consistently and generously it's applied in practice is what will determine whether some squads arrive complete or compromised.
Infantino gave his unity speech. Salman spoke of bridges and shared pain. Forty-six of 47 AFC members made it to the room — some on Zoom, some in person, some from nations currently at war. The forty-seventh's seats were empty.
