Chalien Dantes/Contributor

Next week’s 2026 World Cup group draw in Washington DC is set to stir excitement, but Iran has already announced it won’t be attending.

The move comes after the United States denied visas to members of the Iranian delegation.

Iran’s soccer federation says the visa hurdles go beyond sports and has reached out to FIFA for help. The delegation would have been led by Mehdi Taj, one of Asia’s top soccer officials and a FIFA committee member with direct oversight of World Cup competitions.

The US travel ban covers 12 countries, including Iran and Haiti, the latter of which qualified for the World Cup last week. Exemptions exist for athletes, coaches, support staff, and immediate relatives attending major tournaments, but it remains unclear if those exemptions extend to the draw itself.

The 2026 World Cup will be a massive affair, with 48 teams competing across the US, Canada, and Mexico from June 11 to July 19.

Matches will kick off at Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca, and New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium, home to the Giants and Jets, will host games as well. Boston is slated for seven matches, including the first quarterfinal, though President Donald Trump threatened to move games from Foxborough over unsafe conditions, hinting he might call FIFA president Gianni Infantino to intervene.

Six World Cup spots are still up for grabs, with the draw promising drama even before the first match is played.