VANCOUVER: Football’s top decision-makers gathered on Thursday as FIFA holds its 76th Congress, a high-stakes meeting taking place less than two months before the largest-ever FIFA World Cup 2026 kicks off across Canada, Mexico and the United States.
The war involving Iran, logistical challenges surrounding the World Cup, and the unresolved issue of Russia’s international ban are expected to dominate discussions among around 1,600 delegates representing more than 200 member associations.
Iran’s absence has already cast a shadow over the Congress. Officials from the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran (FFIRI) left Canada shortly after arriving in Toronto earlier this week, cancelling their onward journey to Vancouver.
Iranian media reported that FFIRI president Mehdi Taj — a former member of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) — and two colleagues returned home after being “insulted” by Canadian immigration officials.
Canada, which designated the IRGC a terrorist organisation in 2024, stated on Wednesday that individuals linked to the group are not permitted entry.
“While we cannot comment on individual cases due to privacy laws, the government has been clear and consistent: IRGC officials are inadmissible to Canada and have no place in our country,” Canada’s immigration agency said.
The incident adds further uncertainty to Iran’s World Cup participation, already under scrutiny since the Middle East conflict erupted on February 28 following a series of attacks by the United States and Israel.
Iranian football authorities said last month they had proposed shifting their three group-stage matches from the United States to co-host Mexico — a suggestion that was quickly rejected by FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
Infantino told AFP that Iran would play its matches “where they are supposed to be, according to the draw.”
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said last week that Iranian players would be allowed to participate in the tournament, but warned that members of the delegation with ties to the IRGC could still face entry restrictions.
Infantino, meanwhile, enters Thursday’s Congress under pressure amid criticism over soaring World Cup ticket prices and his close ties with US President Donald Trump.
FIFA announced on Tuesday that it had increased World Cup financial distributions to nearly $900 million, up from the $727 million initially announced in December, following concerns from several qualified teams about rising costs linked to travel, taxes and operations.
Human rights organisations have also urged Infantino to address concerns over fan safety, particularly in light of strict immigration policies under the Trump administration.
Amnesty International’s head of economic and social justice, Steve Cockburn, said Infantino must provide assurances regarding the safety of fans, journalists and local communities.
“This FIFA Congress should be the moment he does so, and the global football community must receive more than empty platitudes,” Cockburn said in a statement.
Infantino is also facing calls to scrap the FIFA Peace Prize, which he awarded to Trump during last December’s World Cup draw in Washington.
“We want to see the prize abolished,” said Lise Klaveness, who leads the Norwegian Football Association.
Thursday’s meeting may also revisit the issue of Russia’s continued suspension from international football, imposed after its 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Infantino has previously indicated support for reconsidering the ban.
“We have to look at readmitting Russia. Definitely,” he told Britain’s Sky News, adding that the ban had not produced meaningful results and had instead fueled frustration.