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Iran national team coach to take part in 2026 World Cup draw WashingtonIranian media reported on Thursday that this was despite an earlier announcement by the country’s football federation that it would boycott the event.
The Iranian Football Federation said last week that the United States had denied visas to members of its delegation and that it would not participate in Friday’s draw as a result.
But federation spokesman Amir-Mahdi Alavi told Iran’s state TV-affiliated news agency YJC.ir that Iran coach Amir Ghalenoui will attend the event with one or two staff members to ensure Iran’s seat does not remain vacant.
Allawi said that Ghlenoui’s presence was purely technical and did not mean a retreat from the federation’s opposition.
In June, the administration of US President Donald Trump had announced a travel ban on citizens of 12 countries including Iran. The list also includes haitiWhich has qualified for the World Cup.
However, exemptions were promised to “any athlete or athletic team member, including coaches, individuals performing essential support roles, and immediate relatives, who are traveling to the World Cup, Olympics, or other major sporting event determined by the Secretary of State.”
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AP Soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer