Skip to Content Subscribe Our Offers My Account Manage My Subscriptions FAQ Newsletters Canada Canadian True Crime Canadian Politics Health World Israel & Middle East Financial Post NP Comment Longreads Puzzmo Diversions Comics NP News Quiz New York Times Crossword Horoscopes Life Eating & Drinking Style Sponsored Play for Ontario Travel Travel Canada Travel USA Travel International Cruises Travel Essentials Culture Books Celebrity Movies Music Theatre Television Business Essentials Advice Lives Told Tails Told Shopping Buy Canadian Home Living Outdoor Living Tech Style & Beauty Kitchen & Dining Personal Care Entertainment & Hobbies Gift Guide Travel Guide Deals Savings National Post Store More Sports Hockey Baseball Basketball Football Soccer Golf Tennis Driving Vehicle Research Reviews News Gear Guide Obituaries Place an Obituary Place an In Memoriam Classifieds Place an Ad Celebrations Working Business Ads Archives Healthing Epaper Manage Print Subscription Profile Settings My Subscriptions Saved Articles My Offers Newsletters Customer Service FAQ Newsletters Canada World Financial Post NP Comment Longreads Puzzmo Diversions Life Shopping Epaper Manage Print Subscription HomeNewsCanadaWorldFIFA, Iran have 'positive and constructive' World Cup participation meeting'Both the Iran FA and FIFA are very happy with the meeting and looking forward to welcoming Team Melli in the USA, Canada and Mexico,' says FIFA secretary general Mattias GrafstromAuthor of the article: You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account.Members of Iran's national football team attend a ceremony ahead of their departure for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, in Tehran on May 13, 2026. Photo by ATTA KENARE /AFPFIFA secretary general Mattias Grafstrom described as “excellent” and “constructive” the meeting held on Saturday in Istanbul with the Iranian federation to ensure Iran’s participation in the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.Unlimited online access to National Post.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.Unlimited online access to National Post.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorThe Iranians are scheduled to be based and play all three of their group matches in the U.S. in spite of the war currently being waged in the Middle East.“We’ve had an excellent meeting, a constructive meeting together with the Iran FA,” said Grafstrom.Get a dash of perspective along with the trending news of the day in a very readable format.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of NP Posted will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again“I think we’re working closely together and looking very much forward to welcoming them to the World Cup.“We’ve had the opportunity to discuss some of the operational matters, like we do with every member association.“But I’m very happy that we were able to have this positive exchange, and both the Iran FA and FIFA are very happy with the meeting and looking forward to welcoming Team Melli in the USA, Canada and Mexico.”The president of the Iranian Football Federation, Mehdi Taj, had said on Thursday that no visas had yet been issued for Iran’s team.But he also described Saturday’s meeting as “positive and constructive” without going into details.“We discussed our concerns and expressed our joint commitment to ensure the smooth participation of Team Melli,” he said.Coach defends selectionThe meeting, which was held at the headquarters of the Turkish Football Federation, comes as the Iranian team prepares to leave on Monday morning for a training camp in Turkey before heading to the United States.Iran hope to play two friendlies in Antalya. They have already confirmed one match, against The Gambia, on May 29, said Sam Mehdizadeh, an Iranian-Canadian who heads a company that sets up friendlies for the team.They are taking a squad of 30 players, which will have to be trimmed to the World Cup maximum of 26.While Porto striker Mehdi Taremi is on the list, this is not the case for the other star striker, Sardar Azmoun, who has scored 57 goals for the national team and previously played for Bayer Leverkusen and AS Roma.The forward, who had previously voiced support for anti-regime protesters, was recently accused of “treason” by Iranian state media after a photo was published in March showing him alongside the Emir of Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, where he plays and resides.Coach Amir Ghalenoei, however, has defended his decision.“I swear before God that nothing other than technical criteria played a role in the selection of the players, and I chose the 30 players solely on that basis,” he said.Iran has qualified for their fourth consecutive finals and, when the squad reaches the U.S., will set up its base camp in Tucson, Arizona.They are due to kick off their World Cup campaign against New Zealand in Los Angeles on 15 June, before facing Belgium in the same city and then Egypt in Seattle, in Group G.Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark nationalpost.com and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here. Join the Conversation This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.