Iran has announced it will boycott next week’s 2026 World Cup draw in Washington after the U.S. reportedly denied visas to members of its delegation, according to the state-run IRNA news agency.

Iranian soccer federation spokesman Amir-Mahdi Alavi said the officials faced visa hurdles that extended beyond normal sports considerations. The White House has not commented on the matter.

Alavi noted that the federation has contacted FIFA, hoping the organization could help resolve the issue, but FIFA has yet to respond.

In June, the Trump administration imposed a travel ban on citizens from 12 countries, including Iran and Haiti, which recently qualified for the World Cup. The ban included exemptions for athletes, coaches, support staff, and immediate family members attending major competitions like the World Cup or Olympics, but it remains unclear whether these exemptions cover attending the World Cup draw on December 5 at the Kennedy Center.

Iran’s delegation would likely have been led by soccer federation president Mehdi Taj, a senior figure in Asian football who sits on two FIFA committees overseeing the World Cup. He is also a vice president of the Asian Football Confederation and a member of FIFA panels responsible for competitions and men’s national teams.

The 2026 World Cup, co-hosted by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, will feature a record 48 teams and run from June 11 to July 19.