US To Scrutinise Iran Soccer Team For World Cup, Bars Entry For IRGC-Affiliated Members

Washington: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared on Tuesday that the Trump administration will closely scrutinise Iran’s delegation for the upcoming Soccer World Cup to prevent members with ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) from entering under the cover of sport. Speaking before a House of Representatives committee hearing, Rubio made clear that while the Iranian national team and its legitimate support staff are welcome, the entourage would face strict checks.

Rubio stressed that the United States has no issue with Iran’s footballers competing on American soil. However, he warned that the administration would not permit non-sporting personnel with links to Tehran’s security apparatus to travel as part of the team. The remarks drew a complicated line amid lingering tensions between Washington and Tehran following the US-Israel-Iran conflict earlier this year.

Notably, Iran’s squad is set to play its World Cup matches in the US but will be based in Mexico for the duration of the tournament. Rubio’s comments signalled that the US officials will apply heightened scrutiny to visa requests from the officials and delegation members, particularly those suspected of connections to the IRGC.

‘We’re Going To Watch That Very Closely’

Marco Rubio stated before the lawmakers that the US would draw a clear line between athletes and other delegation members. “We’re not going to allow them to embed in their delegation a bunch of people that we know have nothing to do with athletics and have ties to the IRGC or things of that nature, so we were going to watch that very closely,” he said during the hearing.

The Secretary of State underlined that the policy was not aimed at the players themselves. He asserted that the US has “no problem” with Iran’s football team and genuine support personnel arriving for World Cup fixtures. He said that the focus would be on identifying and excluding members whose presence could not be justified by sporting duties.

Precedent Set In Canada With IRGC-Linked Official

Rubio’s warning followed a similar incident in Canada earlier this year that drew attention to how North American countries are handling IRGC-linked figures. In April, Mehdi Taj (66), the president of Iran’s football federation and a former IRGC commander, was turned back from Canada just hours after landing for the FIFA Congress in Vancouver.

Mehdi Taj had been expected to attend the gathering at the Vancouver Convention Centre ahead of the 2026 World Cup. He was questioned by the concerned authorities and departed Canada along with 2 accompanying persons. The move came even though the Iranian government sources claimed that Taj had secured a Temporary Resident Permit, a special authorisation that can override inadmissibility under Canadian immigration law. Ottawa’s decision showed a strict stance toward figures connected to Iran’s security establishment, regardless of official documentation.

US Moves To Balance Sport And Security

The analysts suggested that the US approach reflected the challenge of hosting a global tournament while addressing security concerns tied to geopolitical tensions. The Iranian officials and delegation members seeking entry will now face closer vetting to ensure that World Cup travel is not used to facilitate the movement of personnel linked to the IRGC.

Meanwhile, Marco Rubio’s comments make clear that Washington intended to separate sporting engagement from broader security risks as the tournament approaches.