Yesterday, Iran secured its mathematical qualification for the 2026 World Cup after drawing against Uzbekistan, thanks to a brace from Mehdi Taremi that helped equalize the match twice. Naturally, all the fans present at the Azadi Stadium in Tehran erupted in joy. However, there is a slim chance that Iran could be expelled.

Iran is on the "blacklist" of the United States

Along with Japan and New Zealand, as well as the three host countries, Iran became the sixth team to qualify for the 2026 World Cup. A select group that would later be joined by Argentina. Without a doubt, this reflects the football growth that Iran has been experiencing, a country that hasn't missed a World Cup since they qualified for the 2014 edition held in Brazil.

Without a doubt, Iran's main goal is to make it past the group stage for the first time. However, it's possible that Iran may not be able to attend the 2026 World Cup. Or, if they do, they might not be able to play their matches in the United States. This seems unthinkable, considering that a significant portion of the knockout rounds will be held there. This is due to Iran being included in the "blacklist" of countries whose citizens will be prohibited from entering the U.S.

FIFA is already negotiating with the United States

Along with Iran, other notable countries such as Afghanistan, Bhutan, Cuba, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Yemen, and Venezuela would also be on this "blacklist." The case of Venezuela is quite paradoxical, as they have never qualified for a World Cup in their history and are currently in seventh place in the South American Qualifiers, which gives access to the "repêchage."

In Iran's case, FIFA has already begun talks with the government of the United States to explore the possibility of allowing them to attend the 2026 World Cup. Otherwise, we could be talking about one of the greatest scandals ever to occur in football history, one that could mark a turning point for the sport.