Iran has banned its national teams and clubs from traveling to "hostile" countries
Iran's Ministry of Sports has officially banned national and club teams from traveling to countries that Tehran considers "hostile."
The decision, announced on March 26, 2026, will remain in effect until further notice and is motivated by concerns for the safety of Iranian athletes, Reuters reports.
“This move poses a serious challenge to the international sports community, as it directly threatens the Iranian national team’s participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico,” the report states.
Currently, the Iranian Football Federation is negotiating with FIFA to move the group stage matches against New Zealand, Belgium, and Egypt from the United States to Mexico. The situation is complicated by a statement from U.S. President Donald Trump: “While the Iranian team may play in the United States, it may not be entirely appropriate for their safety and security.”
At the same time, Iran has appealed to the Asian Football Confederation to reschedule the Champions League match between Tractor FC and the Emirati club Al-Ahli, which was to take place in Saudi Arabia.
An internal scandal in women’s soccer is creating additional tension. Earlier this month, six players and a member of the coaching staff of the Iranian women’s national team sought asylum in Australia after refusing to perform the national anthem at the Asian Cup. Authorities in Tehran called this act “an act of treason.”
Against the backdrop of geopolitical escalation and internal protests by athletes, a new ban on travel to “unfriendly” countries could lead to the complete international isolation of Iranian sports and the disqualification of the national soccer team from the World Cup. For now, the team is in Turkey, where it is preparing for friendly matches against Nigeria and Costa Rica.
As a reminder, the Turkish national soccer team defeated Romania and became the first team to advance to the playoff final for a spot in the 2026 World Cup. Defender Ferdi Kadıoğlu scored the only goal of the match in the 53rd minute, and the Turks celebrated a 1-0 victory. Turkey will play the playoff final on March 31 against the winner of the Slovakia–Kosovo match; the game will take place in Bratislava.
