FIFA has previously used such discretionary powers. In March 2025, months before the 2025 Club World Cup kicked off, it booted out Mexican team Club León for failing to meet criteria on multi-club ownership. Appeals were rejected, but in May, FIFA said the team replacing León’s spot would be determined through a one-game playoff, which was won by MLS team Los Angeles FC against Mexican team Club América.
What Iran, Trump, and FIFA have said
Iran, which qualified for the World Cup back in 2025, is scheduled to play its matches in the U.S.
But after the war broke out in late February, and Iran’s revered former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was killed, the country’s sports and youth minister said that it was “not possible” for the team to join the tournament, amid safety and security risks. “We cannot be expected to look forward to the World Cup with hope,” Iran’s soccer federation president Mehdi Taj said at the time. Iran’s soccer federation requested that its matches be relocated, which FIFA rejected.
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