A replica of the FIFA World Cup trophy is displayed in a shop, in Tehran, Iran, April 23, 2026. Photo: Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS

Iran’s Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs Ahmad Donyamali said the Iranian national soccer team will halt its matches at this year’s FIFA World Cup if unauthorized political flags or symbols are displayed in stadiums during its games, Iran’s semi-official ISNA news agency reported on Tuesday.

“If we witness any unauthorized flags or symbols in the stadium during Iran’s matches, the team manager is strictly responsible for stopping the game,” Donyamali told reporters on the sidelines of a national boxing team training session. “We hope such incidents do not occur, as organizers have assured us that all hosting requirements will be strictly respected.”

He also stressed that the host country’s security team and event organizers would be responsible to immediately take action against such provocations, and that the Iranian team might stop playing until they are resolved.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is being hosted by the United States, which just recently approved visas for the Iranian’s national soccer team to enter the country and compete. The World Cup will take place across cities in the US, Mexico, and Canada from June 11 to July 19. Iran is set to compete in Group G and will face New Zealand on June 15 and Belgium on June 21, both in Los Angeles, before going head-to-head against Egypt on June 26 in Seattle. Soccer fans from Iran are already barred from entering the United States for the World Cup as part of a travel ban that the Trump administration announced in June.

Donyamali criticized the US for obstructing the allocation of World Cup ticket to Iranian fans and said Iranian officials are still working to obtain tickets for supporters of the national team, ISNA reported. He noted that, according to FIFA regulations and the Olympic Charter, the US as a host nation is legally required to provide equal conditions to all participating countries, regardless of geopolitics.

“They must ensure favorable conditions for us because they know we are not a nation that tolerates coercion; this has been proven in at least two past wars. Therefore, they must treat us with respect,” Donyamali said.

This year will mark the first World Cup in which a host nation will receive a country it is actively at war with. FIFA Chief Operating Officer Heimo Schirgi said in March that the 2026 World Cup is “too big” to postpone and will proceed as planned despite the ​ongoing war in the Middle East.

Donyamali also announced that Iran will send a delegation of more than 1,000 athletes, coaches, and officials to the 2026 Asian Games and Asian Para Games in Nagoya, Japan.