Omid Jamali
Director of International Relations at FFIRI; attended Antalya FIFA talks April 2026.
Last refreshed: 15 April 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
Does FFIRI president Jamali have the political authority to commit Iran to participating over the Sports Minister's objection?
Timeline for Omid Jamali
Attended Antalya meeting as FFIRI president
2026 FIFA World Cup: Infantino tells Iran in Antalya: you will play- Is Iran going to the 2026 World Cup?
- As of 13 April 2026 Iran has not formally withdrawn. FIFA told FFIRI in Antalya that 'Iran will be at the World Cup'. The federation awaits a formal written response to its original relocation request.Source: Lowdown reporting
- Who is the president of Iran's football federation?
- Omid Jamali has been FFIRI president since 2024. He led the federation's delegation to Antalya talks with FIFA president Infantino in March–April 2026.
- What happens if Iran withdraws from the World Cup?
- Under FIFA regulations, a pre-tournament withdrawal can result in sanctions including fines and suspension from future competitions. The FIFA Congress in Vancouver on 30 April is the next formal checkpoint.Source: Lowdown reporting
Background
Omid Jamali attended the Antalya, Turkey meeting with FIFA president Gianni Infantino on 31 March and 1 April 2026 as head of international relations at the Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran. He was part of the three-person Iranian delegation that heard Infantino's final position: 'Iran will be at the World Cup', with a pre-tournament training camp in Turkey on offer but no match relocation. FIFA's subsequent formal rejection of the relocation request was communicated via Mexico's president Claudia Sheinbaum on 12 April.
Omid Jamali became FFIRI president in 2024. As international relations director he sits above secretary general Mehdi Mohammed Nabi in the hierarchy, making him responsible for the strategic decision on whether Iran participates in the 2026 World Cup. His delegation to Antalya indicated the federation is pursuing a diplomatic resolution despite Sports Minister Ahmad Donyamali's earlier withdrawal declaration.
Jamali faces a narrow window before the 76th FIFA Congress in Vancouver on 30 April. If Iran does not formally communicate its status to FIFA by that point, the federation risks automatic withdrawal and potential sanctions under FIFA regulations governing pre-tournament withdrawals.