WORLD > NEWS

Iran Bans Sports Participation In ‘hostile’ Countries Until Further Notice

27/03/2026 10:01 AM

ISTANBUL, March 27 (Bernama-Anadolu) -- Iran’s Ministry of Sports and Youth announced on Thursday that national teams and clubs will not participate in competitions held in countries it considers “hostile” until further notice, Anadolu Ajansi reported, citing the state news agency IRNA.

In a statement, the ministry said the decision followed reports of a possible match involving Iran's Tractor FC against a team from the United Arab Emirates on Saudi Arabian soil as part of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League Elite.

The ministry said participation in countries deemed “hostile” and “unable to guarantee the safety” of Iranian athletes and team members is prohibited “until further notice.”

It added that the Football Federation and clubs are required to notify the AFC to “relocate match venues” accordingly.

-- BERNAMA-ANADOLU

 

 


BERNAMA provides up-to-date authentic and comprehensive news and information which are disseminated via BERNAMA Wires; www.bernama.com; BERNAMA TV on Astro 502, unifi TV 631 and MYTV 121 channels and BERNAMA Radio on FM93.9 (Klang Valley), FM107.5 (Johor Bahru), FM107.9 (Kota Kinabalu) and FM100.9 (Kuching) frequencies.

Follow us on social media :
Facebook : @bernamaofficial, @bernamatv, @bernamaradio
Twitter : @bernama.com, @BernamaTV, @bernamaradio
Instagram : @bernamaofficial, @bernamatvofficial, @bernamaradioofficial
TikTok : @bernamaofficial

© 2026 BERNAMA   • Disclaimer   • Privacy Policy   • Security Policy