Iran to boycott World Cup draw in protest over US visa numbers

Iran is to boycott next week’s draw for the 2026 World Cup in protest at the limited number of visas it has been allocated by US authorities.Iranian Football Federation spokesman Amir Mehdi Alavi told domestic sports news site Tarafdari: “The Iranian delegation will not be present for the World Cup draw in relation to the latest status of issuing visas for the Iranian delegation to attend the draw ceremony.”The US has long had strict visa restrictions on Iranians for political