Iran’s Ministry of Sports and Youth has formally prohibited all national and club teams from travelling to or competing in countries it considers hostile, a decision that immediately threatens the country’s participation in both the AFC Champions League and the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The move comes nearly a month after US-Israeli attacks on Iran triggered a broader military conflict in the Middle East on February 28.
The directive, reported by ESPN, is effective until further notice. The ministry’s position is that certain nations cannot guarantee the safety of Iranian athletes and staff, and has placed the burden of seeking venue changes on the federations and clubs themselves.
The immediate flashpoint is Tractor FC’s upcoming AFC Champions League Elite playoff against Shabab Al Ahli of Dubai, scheduled to be played in Saudi Arabia after the AFC’s draw placed the western zone playoffs in Jeddah for April 13 and 14.
According to the report, the ministry instructed Iran’s football federation and clubs to notify the AFC and push for relocation of all affected games.
The bigger concern, however, is the World Cup. All of Iran’s scheduled group stage matches are in the United States, a country now classified as hostile under the new directive, making travel impossible under the ban as it stands.
Iran has been trying to negotiate a move of those fixtures to Mexico, but FIFA president Gianni Infantino insisted the governing body wants the tournament to proceed as planned, with no matches shifted.
The ban also comes after six players and a staff member of Iran’s women’s football team sought asylum in Australia following their refusal to sing the national anthem at the Asian Cup, with Tehran branding them traitors.
