Iran prohibits sports teams from traveling to ‘hostile’ nations.
TEHRAN, Iran — Iran has prohibited its sports teams from traveling to nations it deems “hostile,” as reported by Iranian state TV on Thursday, prior to Traktor Sazi FC’s upcoming soccer match in Saudi Arabia.
The ban, issued by Iran’s Ministry of Sports in Tehran, did not reference the World Cup, which is set to commence on June 11 in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
The ministry’s announcement specifically highlighted the Traktor match against Shabab Al Ahli of Dubai, scheduled to take place in Saudi Arabia in April. This match is part of the round-of-16 in the Asian Champions League Elite.
“The participation of national and club teams in nations deemed hostile and unable to guarantee the safety of Iranian athletes and team members is prohibited until further notice,” the statement indicated.
The ongoing conflict in Iran has affected the region, with nearly every Middle Eastern country experiencing damage from missile strikes, drone attacks, or shrapnel.
Traktor’s playoff match in Saudi Arabia was a result of the Asian Football Confederation’s draw on Wednesday to establish the quarterfinal matchups, following the announcement that the western zone playoffs, postponed due to the regional conflict, have been rescheduled for April 13-14 in Jeddah.
The Saudi city is also set to host the tournament’s quarterfinals, semifinals, and final from April 16-25, with organizers establishing the schedule while hoping for stability in the region.
The Iranian ministry further stated that the soccer federation and clubs “will be accountable for informing the Asian Football Confederation of this situation to arrange for the relocation of the matches.”
The Iranian ambassador in Mexico City has mentioned that the country is in discussions with FIFA to shift Iran’s three group-stage matches from the United States to Mexico, following U.S. President Donald Trump’s discouragement of the team attending the 48-nation tournament due to safety issues.
However, last week, FIFA President Gianni Infantino further complicated Iran’s efforts to relocate its World Cup matches, asserting that the governing body of global soccer wishes for the tournament “to proceed as planned.”
Iranian government and soccer officials have expressed that they do not intend to boycott the World Cup, but they believe it is unfeasible for the national team to travel to the U.S. due to military actions against the country by Israel and the U.S. since February 28.
Information from The Associated Press was utilized in this report.
