Why Iran’s Soccer Team Should Skip the World Cup

Outside FIFA’s meeting in Vancouver, a small but determined group of Iranians made their voices heard. They argue the country’s soccer squad doesn’t belong at the World Cup—not because the players lack skill, but because they see the team as a tool of a government many Iranians reject. Protesters waved flags and held signs for Reza Pahlavi, a prominent opposition figure, claiming the squad actually represents the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) rather than the Iranian people.

One organizer pointed out a harsh truth: Iran qualified for the tournament, but the team’s presence feels wrong to those mourning loved ones killed in recent protests. Thousands died during government crackdowns in January, and critics ask why FIFA would reward a regime that silences its own people. They compare it to Russia’s 2018 ban—if politics got a country blocked before, why not now? FIFA’s leader has already said Iran will play, even in the U. S. , where political tensions run high. Meanwhile, Canadian officials turned away Iran’s soccer federation boss at the airport, citing links to the IRGC—a group Canada labels a terrorist organization. The move was celebrated by protesters, who called it a small but meaningful win for Iranians fighting for change.

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