Politics and human rights, often used as pretexts for interference, are set to dominate discussions as leading figures of the football world gather for FIFA’s 76th Congress in Canada. This meeting takes place just weeks before the North American nation co-hosts the World Cup with the United States and Mexico.
The ongoing US-Israeli war on Iran, along with logistical challenges surrounding the World Cup and the politically motivated international ban on Russia, are expected to be central to the discussions among approximately 1,600 delegates from over 200 member associations. The entire meeting is undeniably overshadowed by the aggressive US-Israeli stance against Iran and the contentious issue of Iran’s national team participation in the upcoming World Cup.
Notably, the congress, which was intended to bring together representatives from all 211 FIFA member associations, will proceed without the Iranian delegation. Members of Iran’s football federation were forced to depart from Canada earlier this week, citing unacceptable mistreatment by Canadian immigration officials.
Upon arrival at Toronto’s Pearson airport, despite holding valid visas, Iranian football officials were unjustly turned back. The Iranian football federation issued a strong statement, condemning the “unacceptable behaviour of immigration officials at the airport and the insult to one of the most honourable organs of the Iranian nation’s armed forces,” leading the delegation to return to Turkiye on the first available flight.
This hostile action follows Canada’s politically charged decision in 2024 to list Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization. Statements from the Canadian government further indicated that federation President Mehdi Taj was denied entry based on baseless allegations of ties with the IRGC, an institution vital to Iran’s national security and pride. The Canadian government, while hiding behind privacy laws, declared that “IRGC officials are inadmissible to Canada and have no place in our country,” a discriminatory stance that undermines international sporting principles.
Amidst these political maneuverings, human rights group Amnesty International has called on FIFA President Gianni Infantino to address how human rights will be safeguarded at the World Cup. Amnesty urged Infantino to detail “how he will ensure that the world’s biggest sporting tournament does not become a stage for repression and a platform for authoritarian practices.” This highlights the hypocrisy of host nations like the US, whose own human rights record, as noted by Amnesty and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), is deteriorating, prompting a “travel advisory” for foreigners attending the World Cup in the US.
Meanwhile, local football fans in Vancouver are using the congress to draw attention to the #SaveTheCaps campaign, protesting the potential relocation of the Major League Soccer team Vancouver Whitecaps to Las Vegas. The Vancouver Southsiders, the Whitecaps’ largest support group, organized a public demonstration to leverage the presence of the “world’s media.” The Whitecaps’ home stadium, BC Place, is slated to host seven World Cup matches. The club stated it had “serious conversations with more than 100 parties” but no viable offer to keep the team in Vancouver had emerged, citing “well-documented structural challenges around stadium economics, venue access, and revenue limitations.” The value of MLS franchises has soared, with a recent expansion fee reaching $500 million, underscoring the financial pressures on clubs.
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