Iran will face Belgium, Egypt and New Zealand in next year’s FIFA World Cup after being drawn into Group G at the 2026 tournament’s group stage draw held in Washington on Friday.
US President Donald Trump attended the ceremony and received the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize from Gianni Infantino, the president of FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association), world football’s governing body, for promoting global peace and unity.
“This is truly one of the great honors of my life. Beyond awards, we have saved millions and millions of lives," Trump said. "The Congo is an example. India, Pakistan — so many different wars we were able to end, in some cases, a little bit before they started."
Iran will open the tournament against New Zealand on 15 June in Seattle, with further group games in Los Angeles and Atlanta.
Several senior Iranian football officials were denied US visas for the 2026 FIFA World Cup draw in Washington, prompting an initial threat by the Iran Football Federation (FFIRI) to boycott the event.
Out of nine members of the delegation who applied for visas, only four were granted entry, including head coach Ardeshir Amir Ghalenoei, while other senior officials, including federation president Mehdi Taj, were denied.
Despite the visa restrictions, the partial delegation attended the draw ceremony, ensuring Iran’s participation.
The team has now reached its seventh World Cup and its fourth in a row. Their arrival in the US comes against the backdrop of longstanding entry restrictions that continue to shape travel rules for Iranian nationals.
The top two teams and the eight best third-placed sides will advance to the round of 32.
