Baghaei: US Has Politicized the World Cup; Qatar Was a Good Host

Esmaeil Baghaei, the spokesperson for the Islamic Republic's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, criticized the restrictions imposed on certain managers and companions of the Islamic Republic of Iran's football team delegation at the 2026 World Cup, stating that the United States "has not spared even sports from politicization."

Speaking at his press conference, Baghaei referred to the joint hosting of the 2026 World Cup by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, noting that the 2022 World Cup in Qatar had been a "good experience" for Iran and that the competitions had been held in an organized manner. However, he deemed the United States an unsuitable host for these games.

The Islamic Republic's Foreign Ministry spokesperson also criticized the failure to issue visas to some managers and companions of the team's delegation, calling it contrary to regular FIFA regulations.

Baghaei's remarks regarding the Qatar World Cup come at a time when, during the 2022 tournament, numerous reports were published regarding cooperation between Qatari authorities and the Islamic Republic to restrict the display of symbols and slogans associated with the "Woman, Life, Freedom" movement inside stadiums.

Furthermore, some Iranian protesters and activists opposed to the Islamic Republic reported facing pressure and restrictions on the sidelines of the matches.

The Islamic Republic had succeeded in dispatching state-backed spectators to Qatar to support the football team by spending tens of millions of dollars.