Iranian Football Officials Denied Entry to Canada, Miss FIFA Congress

An Iranian football federation delegation, including President Mehdi Taj and Secretary-General Hedayat Mombeni, was turned back at Toronto’s Pearson Airport despite holding valid visas. They were en route to Vancouver for the FIFA Congress ahead of the 2026 World Cup. The federation cited unacceptable behaviour by Canadian immigration officials and an insult to their organisation. Canada designated Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist entity last year, and officials said ties to the IRGC led to the denial of entry. Canadian authorities confirmed the decision stemmed from IRGC-related inadmissibility rules, though Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand called the revocation unintentional. The delegation has since returned to Turkiye, missing the preparatory meeting for 211 member associations.

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