“There is so much intrusion from all sides and corners,” a Sami reindeer herder tells me, reacting to a government decision to grant a mining permit in Gállok in the Sápmi region in Sweden's far north. Sápmi is the communal land of the Indigenous Sami people
Iran Skips FIFA World Cup 2026 Draw In Washington After USA Denies Delegation Visas
Iran Skips FIFA World Cup 2026 Draw In Washington After USA Denies Delegation Visas
Iran's Football Federation will boycott the final draw ceremony for the 2026 FIFA World Cup after the United States refused to grant visas to several key members of its delegation. The draw is scheduled for December 5 in Washington, D.C.
Announcing this on Friday, federation spokesman Amir Mehdi Alavi told state-run IRIB TV that the decision came after necessary inquiries, internal discussions, and consultations with Iran's Ministry of Sports and Youth and the Foreign Ministry. He condemned the U.S. actions as “non-sporting."
Exemptions, however, were promised for “any athlete or member of an athletic team, including coaches, persons performing a necessary support role, and immediate relatives, travelling for the World Cup, Olympics, or other major sporting event as determined by the Secretary of State."
Alavi confirmed that FIFA was informed of the boycott and that its officials, including President Gianni Infantino, were notified of the visa issue. He noted that FIFA has since promised to take the matter seriously, reports Xinhua.
The Iranian Students' News Agency reported that the visa denials affected several key figures, including federation President Mehdi Taj. In contrast, four members, including men's national team head coach Amir Ghalenoei, were granted visas.
The expanded 48-team FIFA World Cup will take place from June 11 to July 19, 2026, and will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico — marking the first time the tournament is staged across three nations. A total of 16 stadiums have been selected to host matches, with three venues located in Mexico and two in Canada, while the remaining 11 venues are spread across major cities in the United States.
For the tournament's structure, the official draw will divide the 48 participating teams into 12 groups of four teams each. Following the group stage, the top two teams from every group, along with the eight highest-ranked third-place finishers, will progress to an expanded knockout phase, creating a larger and more competitive elimination bracket than in previous editions.
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Among the qualified teams, Iran has secured a place in the 2026 World Cup, marking its fourth consecutive appearance on football's biggest stage and its seventh participation overall, underscoring the nation's continued prominence in Asian football.
(With inputs from Agencies)
Source: News18
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“There is so much intrusion from all sides and corners,” a Sami reindeer herder tells me, reacting to a government decision to grant a mining permit in Gállok in the Sápmi region in Sweden's far north. Sápmi is the communal land of the Indigenous Sami people
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