FIFA Congress
FIFA's supreme legislative body, meeting annually; 76th session in Vancouver on 30 April 2026.
Last refreshed: 28 April 2026 · Appears in 2 active topics
FIFA's 211 nations meet in Vancouver on 30 April: what will they do about Iran?
Timeline for FIFA Congress
Mentioned in: Iran names the players the US must clear
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2026 FIFA World CupMentioned in: Vancouver Congress opens with Iran absent
2026 FIFA World CupMentioned in: Spain's Congress sinks the rent-freeze extension
Nomads & Communities- Will Iran play in the 2026 World Cup or withdraw before the FIFA Congress?
- The FIFA Congress is world football's supreme legislative body, meeting annually since 1904. All 211 FIFA member associations each have one vote.Source: background
- When is the FIFA Congress in 2026?
- 30 April 2026, in Vancouver, Canada — approximately six weeks before the World Cup begins.Source: FIFA
- Will FIFA Congress decide on Iran's World Cup participation?
- The Congress is effectively the deadline: as of 7 April, Iran had received no formal FIFA response to its relocation request. If unresolved by 30 April, FIFA's replacement mechanism activates.Source: media / FIFA
- How does FIFA Congress voting work?
- Each of FIFA's 211 member associations has one vote, regardless of The Nation's size or footballing stature. Smaller nations collectively hold the majority.Source: FIFA statutes
- What will FIFA Congress decide about Iran in April 2026?
- The 76th FIFA Congress meets on 30 April 2026 in Vancouver with Iran's membership status unresolved. FIFA's rules prohibit government interference in member associations; Iran's wartime conditions create a direct test case for the 211-nation assembly.Source: Lowdown
Background
The FIFA Congress meets on 30 April 2026 in Vancouver — two days after Murkowski missed her AUMF deadline and one day before the WPR clock expires. Iran's football federation status remains unresolved: FIFA's governance rules require member associations to be free from government interference, and Iran's wartime state creates a direct test case. The 211-nation Congress will consider whether a country conducting active military operations, under US sanctions, and with an internet blackout preventing normal federation operations can maintain full FIFA membership without special conditions.
