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Iran’s next two games could be played across the ºÃÉ«tv border in Vancouver or in Inglewood and Seattle. FIFA will confirm the detailed game schedule Saturday.

The United States was drawn to play Australia, Paraguay and a third team to be determined in the European playoffs in March.

Iran’s participation in the tournament, co-hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico, has already presented diplomatic challenges.

Last week Iran said it would after several officials including soccer federation president Mehdi Taj and general secretary Hedayat Momebeni were denied U.S. travel visas. The federation later saying Iran coach Amir Ghalenoei would attend the event at the Kennedy Center in Washington.

It wasn't immediately clear whether Ghalenoei was present at Friday's draw.

Security and visas

Iran was among 12 countries subject to a travel ban ordered by Trump’s administration on June 5. A second World Cup nation, Haiti, also is on it.

Exemptions were promised for teams and support staff traveling for the World Cup, but not for fans.

The Trump administration called Iran a “state sponsor of terrorism� and barred visitors except for those already holding visas or coming special visas issued for minorities facing persecution.

Later in June, Trump ordered a bombardment of Iran by so-called “bunker buster� bombs and cruise missiles targeting underground uranium enrichment plants. Within days he in a 12-day war between U.S. ally Israel and Iran.

Asian soccer power

Iran is an established force in soccer, ranked No. 20 in the world by FIFA and second only to Japan among Asian national teams.

Team Melli, as the squad is popularly known, is preparing to play at its seventh World Cup. Its best known player is forward Mehdi Taremi, who has played for Inter Milan, Porto and now Olympiakos.

Iran’s most problematic diplomatic relations among its future World Cup opponents are with Egypt.

Their diplomatic ties were severed in 1979 after Egypt signed a peace treaty with Israel and remained strained until recent years.

New Zealand’s government condemned the death in September 2022 of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in the custody of the country’s morality police.

Iran at the last World Cup

Amini’s death just a few weeks before the last World Cup played in nearby Qatar brought where Iran played.

The team refused to sign Iran’s national anthem before its opening game in Doha against England, and there were between fans and pro-government supporters at its second game against Wales.

Many fans displayed the “Woman, Life, Freedom� slogan to protest the government before Iran's World Cup campaign ended with a

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