Latest news with #TeamMelli
New Straits Times
9 hours ago
- Politics
- New Straits Times
Iran face possible 2026 World Cup ban
LONDON: Iran could be barred from the 2026 FIFA World Cup following escalating tensions and rising fears of war with one of the tournament's host nations — the United States. Iran became the sixth Asian team to qualify for the World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by the US, Mexico and Canada next year. But with recent airstrikes on Iran's nuclear facilities drawing global attention, fears of a full-scale military conflict are mounting, and Team Melli's place in the tournament now hangs in the balance. A suspension is a real possibility, with FIFA having a precedent of barring countries involved in war or international conflict. Russia, for example, remain suspended from all FIFA competitions following their invasion of Ukraine. In the 1990s, both FIFA and UEFA banned Yugoslavia due to the Balkan wars. Given the rising tensions, it appears increasingly unlikely that Iran's players will be allowed to set foot on American soil. Even if Iran are cleared to play, they could be forced to play without their supporters as the country remains under strict US travel restrictions. These restrictions, introduced by Donald Trump in March, also apply to more than 40 countries including Afghanistan, Libya, Myanmar, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Any travel exemptions would likely apply only to players and officials, leaving fans locked out of the tournament.
Daily Telegraph
9 hours ago
- Politics
- Daily Telegraph
Iran could be banned from the 2026 World Cup in USA over bombings
Don't miss out on the headlines from Football. Followed categories will be added to My News. Iran could be spectacularly banned from participating in the 2026 FIFA World Cup amid the threat of war between the Islamic Republic and tournament host nation USA. The national team back in March were the sixth team to qualify for the tournament set to take place in America, Mexico and Canada next year, but the latest air strikes on the country's nuclear facilities have the world watching on with ongoing military tensions continuing to escalate. The situation makes it unlikely Team Melli — Iran's national football team — will be playing games on US soil. Their fourth successive World Cup appearance is now in serious jeopardy. A tournament ban is a genuine possibility given several teams have been barred from international tournaments previously on the basis that warring nations cannot participate. Russia have been indefinitely suspended by FIFA since invading Ukraine while FIFA and UEFA also banned Yugoslavia during 1990s as a result of the Balkans conflict. Even if Iran do participate in next year's tournament, they are most likely to be without supporters as the country remains on President Donald Trump's banned travel list which bars citizens from travelling to America. The decision was made back in March and included severe travel restrictions to over 40 countries including Iran, Afghanistan, the Republic of Congo, Libya, Myanmar, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen and others. Exemptions will most likely be granted for the team and associated staff only. There is no associated ban from Mexico and Canada, who will host the other 26 matches of the tournament. Despite already qualifying for the 2026 World Cup in the US, Iran's hopes of participating may be quashed as the threat of war continues to loom between them and the tournaments host nation. Photo: AP Photo/Vahid Salemi. With the schedule already drawn up to decide cities, date and stages, the best case scenario would be for Iran to be drawn into Group A and play all three group stage matches in Mexico. However, any progress to the knockout stages means the side will play at least one match in America, creating a logistic nightmare for organisers. Meanwhile, Iran and Inter Milan striker Milan Mehdi Taremi has found himself stuck in his home country in the capital city of Tehran amid the ongoing war with no way of getting out. Taremi was named by Inter in the 32 man squad for the ongoing FIFA Club World Cup in the US, but is unable to join his side as the conflict continues. The 32-year-old initially flew back to Iran to compete in their qualifiers against Qatar and North Korea and to accept Iran's footballer of the Year award, and planned to leave for Los Angeles straight after but was left stranded. Iran and Inter Milan striker Mehdi Taremi remains stranded in Iran and unable to join his teammates currently in America playing the FIFA Club World Cup. Photo: AP Photo/Vahid Salemi. It was Taremi's two goals in the 2-2 draw against Uzbekistan that sealed his sides World Cup qualification back in March, but the striker has now been left stranded as his club scrambles to find a way out. It is reported that Inter president Giuseppe Marotta has been in contact with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Italian ambassador to Tehran to find a way out for the Milan striker, but has been unsuccessful. The player himself is said to been in constant contact with teammates, who won their most recent group stage match against Urawa Reds. Neither FIFA president Gianni Infantino nor host nation President Trump have yet commented on Iran's participation in the tournament. Originally published as Iran could be banned from the 2026 World Cup in USA over bombings
News.com.au
10 hours ago
- Politics
- News.com.au
Iran could be banned from the 2026 World Cup in USA over bombings
Iran could be spectacularly banned from participating in the 2026 FIFA World Cup amid the threat of war between the Islamic Republic and tournament host nation USA. The national team back in March were the sixth team to qualify for the tournament set to take place in America, Mexico and Canada next year, but the latest air strikes on the country's nuclear facilities have the world watching on with ongoing military tensions continuing to escalate. The situation makes it unlikely Team Melli — Iran's national football team — will be playing games on US soil. Their fourth successive World Cup appearance is now in serious jeopardy. A tournament ban is a genuine possibility given several teams have been barred from international tournaments previously on the basis that warring nations cannot participate. Russia have been indefinitely suspended by FIFA since invading Ukraine while FIFA and UEFA also banned Yugoslavia during 1990s as a result of the Balkans conflict. Even if Iran do participate in next year's tournament, they are most likely to be without supporters as the country remains on President Donald Trump's banned travel list which bars citizens from travelling to America. The decision was made back in March and included severe travel restrictions to over 40 countries including Iran, Afghanistan, the Republic of Congo, Libya, Myanmar, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen and others. Exemptions will most likely be granted for the team and associated staff only. There is no associated ban from Mexico and Canada, who will host the other 26 matches of the tournament. With the schedule already drawn up to decide cities, date and stages, the best case scenario would be for Iran to be drawn into Group A and play all three group stage matches in Mexico. However, any progress to the knockout stages means the side will play at least one match in America, creating a logistic nightmare for organisers. Meanwhile, Iran and Inter Milan striker Milan Mehdi Taremi has found himself stuck in his home country in the capital city of Tehran amid the ongoing war with no way of getting out. Taremi was named by Inter in the 32 man squad for the ongoing FIFA Club World Cup in the US, but is unable to join his side as the conflict continues. The 32-year-old initially flew back to Iran to compete in their qualifiers against Qatar and North Korea and to accept Iran's footballer of the Year award, and planned to leave for Los Angeles straight after but was left stranded. It was Taremi's two goals in the 2-2 draw against Uzbekistan that sealed his sides World Cup qualification back in March, but the striker has now been left stranded as his club scrambles to find a way out. It is reported that Inter president Giuseppe Marotta has been in contact with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Italian ambassador to Tehran to find a way out for the Milan striker, but has been unsuccessful. The player himself is said to been in constant contact with teammates, who won their most recent group stage match against Urawa Reds.
Eyewitness News
05-06-2025
- Politics
- Eyewitness News
Iranians' World Cup dream crushed by US travel ban
TEHRAN - A year out from kick-off, Iranian football fans are watching their World Cup dream slip away after a US travel ban barred them from entering the land of "Great Satan" to cheer on their team. The 2026 tournament will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, but most matches, including the final, are scheduled to be played on American soil. Many in Iran had clung to hopes of cheering from the stands until Wednesday when US President Donald Trump rolled out a new travel ban on 12 countries including Iran, which will take effect from Monday. "My friends and I have been waiting for years to watch Team Melli (a nickname for the national team) play in a World Cup on US soil, and when they qualified, it felt like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," Sohrab Naderi, a real estate agent in Tehran, told AFP. "Now with the new travel ban, that dream is shattered because of politics that we don't care about and have no control over," said the 46-year-old who attended the 2022 World Cup in Qatar which saw the US side defeat Iran 1-0 in the group stage. The prospect of Iran competing in a US-hosted tournament comes against the backdrop of a decades-long enmity, with diplomatic ties broken since the 1979 Islamic revolution. The two sides are currently engaged in high-stakes talks over Iran's nuclear programme, with the United States threatening military action if no deal can be reached. 'DEGRADING TO ALL IRANIANS' Trump said the new travel ban was prompted by a makeshift flamethrower attack on a Jewish protest in Colorado that US authorities blamed on a man they said was in the country illegally. The ban will not apply to athletes competing in either the 2026 World Cup or the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, the order said. Nonetheless, supporters who had dreamed of crossing the Atlantic to cheer on their team will no longer be able to make the trip. "Every Iranian has the right to support their team, just as much as any other country, whether the game is in America or in any other country," said Hasti Teymourpour, a 16-year-old football fan. Since his return to office in January, Trump has reinstated his "maximum pressure" policy of sanctions against Iran and vowed that "something bad" would happen unless the Iranians "move quickly" towards a nuclear deal. Naderi, who called the ban "inhumane" and "degrading to all Iranians", still hopes the Iran-US nuclear talks will yield a deal that might persuade Trump to reconsider. The outcome of the US-Iran talks that began in April remains unclear, and many fans worry that even if they result in a deal, it may be too late for them. Some Iranians have refused to give up hope, however, seeing in the World Cup an opportunity to thaw relations. "Sports diplomacy can act as a strong catalyst and bring the efforts of political diplomats to fruition sooner," said political commentator Mohammad Reza Manafi. It could be "a great opportunity to help advance diplomacy between the two countries". FRIENDLY? In a memorable 1998 World Cup clash, Iranian players handed flowers to their American adversaries and posed together for photos -- a rare public gesture of goodwill between the nations. Iran won 2–1, a victory celebrated in Tehran as a source of both sporting and political pride. With the 2026 draw expected in December, it remains unclear whether Iran and the United States will face off again, but anticipation is building. "The two countries are not hostile to each other, this political discussion is for the governments," said 44-year-old day labourer Siamak Kalantari. Another fan, Mahdieh Olfati, said: "If we face the US again, we'll definitely win." "Ours are real players," the 18-year-old added. Manafi, the commentator, said a friendly before the tournament, possibly hosted by a third country, could help ease tensions. Such a game, he said, could help "achieve what politicians from both sides have not managed to do for years".
Malay Mail
05-06-2025
- Politics
- Malay Mail
Politics 1–Football 0: Washington bars Iranians from cheering team in US
TEHRAN, June 5 — A year out from kick-off, Iranian football fans are watching their World Cup dream slip away after a US travel ban barred them from entering the land of 'Great Satan' to cheer on their team. The 2026 tournament will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, but most matches, including the final, are scheduled to be played on American soil. Many in Iran had clung to hopes of cheering from the stands until Wednesday when US President Donald Trump rolled out a new travel ban on 12 countries including Iran, which will take effect from Monday. 'My friends and I have been waiting for years to watch Team Melli (a nickname for the national team) play in a World Cup on US soil, and when they qualified, it felt like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,' Sohrab Naderi, a real estate agent in Tehran, told AFP. 'Now with the new travel ban, that dream is shattered because of politics that we don't care about and have no control over,' said the 46-year-old who attended the 2022 World Cup in Qatar which saw the US side defeat Iran 1-0 in the group stage. The prospect of Iran competing in a US-hosted tournament comes against the backdrop of a decades-long enmity, with diplomatic ties broken since the 1979 Islamic revolution. The two sides are currently engaged in high-stakes talks over Iran's nuclear programme, with the United States threatening military action if no deal can be reached. 'Degrading to all Iranians' Trump said the new travel ban was prompted by a makeshift flamethrower attack on a Jewish protest in Colorado that US authorities blamed on a man they said was in the country illegally. The ban will not apply to athletes competing in either the 2026 World Cup or the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, the order said. Nonetheless, supporters who had dreamed of crossing the Atlantic to cheer on their team will no longer be able to make the trip. 'Every Iranian has the right to support their team, just as much as any other country, whether the game is in America or in any other country,' said Hasti Teymourpour, a 16-year-old football fan. Since his return to office in January, Trump has reinstated his 'maximum pressure' policy of sanctions against Iran and vowed that 'something bad' would happen unless the Iranians 'move quickly' towards a nuclear deal. Naderi, who called the ban 'inhumane' and 'degrading to all Iranians', still hopes the Iran-US nuclear talks will yield a deal that might persuade Trump to reconsider. The outcome of the US-Iran talks that began in April remains unclear, and many fans worry that even if they result in a deal, it may be too late for them. Some Iranians have refused to give up hope, however, seeing in the World Cup an opportunity to thaw relations. 'Sports diplomacy can act as a strong catalyst and bring the efforts of political diplomats to fruition sooner,' said political commentator Mohammad Reza Manafi. It could be 'a great opportunity to help advance diplomacy between the two countries'. Friendly? In a memorable 1998 World Cup clash, Iranian players handed flowers to their American adversaries and posed together for photos – a rare public gesture of goodwill between the nations. Iran won 2-1, a victory celebrated in Tehran as a source of both sporting and political pride. With the 2026 draw expected in December, it remains unclear whether Iran and the United States will face off again, but anticipation is building. 'The two countries are not hostile to each other, this political discussion is for the governments,' said 44-year-old day labourer Siamak Kalantari. Another fan, Mahdieh Olfati, said: 'If we face the US again, we'll definitely win.' 'Ours are real players,' the 18-year-old added. Manafi, the commentator, said a friendly before the tournament, possibly hosted by a third country, could help ease tensions. Such a game, he said, could help 'achieve what politicians from both sides have not managed to do for years'. — AFP
