[45737] International Embarrassment: President of Iran's Football Federation Expelled from Canada Due to Links with the Revolutionary Guards

Diplomatic Embarrassment: Mehdi Taj Expelled from Canada

A political and sporting drama unfolded on May 1, 2026, when Canadian police prevented the entry of the President of the Football Federation of Iran, Mehdi Taj, and his entourage into the country, where the FIFA Congress was taking place in Vancouver. According to reports from Iran International, the move followed the newspaper's revelation regarding the waiving of the entry ban on Taj, who is known for his past as a commander in the Intelligence Organization of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) - an organization defined as a terrorist entity in Canada since June 2024. According to Iran International, the group was deported after many long hours at the airport.

In response to the incident, Taj declared upon his return to Tehran that he replied to the Canadian police: "We are 90 million Iranians and we are all members of the Revolutionary Guards" (according to a report by Foutball Summary). Taj claimed in various interviews, including those published in Short Sports News, that he was not deported but chose to return on his own, while voicing harsh criticism toward FIFA and claiming the organization is "scared of the USA" (according to a report by IRNA).

At the same time, FIFA President Gianni Infantino officially confirmed that the Iranian national team will participate in the 2026 World Cup and hold its matches on United States soil, while emphasizing the role of football as a unifying factor (according to DW Persian). This statement came against the backdrop of protests by Iranian exiles outside the conference site in Vancouver, who called for the exclusion of Iran from the tournament due to the suppression of protesters at home (according to a report by Iran International).

Commentators from opposition networks such as Iran International defined the incident as a "complete humiliation" for the Iranian regime, while media outlets close to the regime, such as the IRNA News Agency, focused on Taj's demand for guarantees from FIFA to protect the national team delegation and prevent protests against symbols of the Islamic Republic in stadiums during the matches in the USA.