An Iranian opposition organization is calling on FIFA to investigate and potentially suspend Iran’s soccer federation ahead of the 2026 World Cup after releasing a report alleging that the country’s soccer infrastructure has been used as part of a broader government surveillance and security network.

The report was provided to Fox News Digital by the U.S. office of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), which claims internal Iranian government documents show the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has embedded personnel within Iran’s soccer system and used stadium technology to monitor citizens.

According to the report, at least 15 individuals identified as current or former IRGC commanders or security-linked officials have held leadership positions within soccer clubs, league operations, federations, or other sports organizations.

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The NCRI alleges that stadiums and soccer clubs have become intertwined with Iran’s security apparatus through surveillance programs and management structures overseen by government-connected officials.

Among the allegations are claims that facial-recognition technology, identity verification systems, and other monitoring tools have been deployed at major stadiums, including Azadi Stadium, Takhti Stadium, and Shahr-e Qods Stadium.

The report cites what it describes as internal security documents from 2024 and 2025, including material from the Tehran Province Security Council and the Sarallah Headquarters security command.

"It is highly critical for security, intelligence, and law enforcement agencies to utilize and exploit the video surveillance cameras of the Azadi Complex during matches, given the constant potential for unpredictable security incidents. It is highly conceivable that future riots and civil unrest could originate inside the sports stadiums," the report quoted from the documents.

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Fox News Digital reported that requests for comment were sent to the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran and Iran’s mission to the United Nations.

Alireza Jafarzadeh, deputy director of NCRI-US, told Fox News Digital that the organization’s investigation initially focused on how Iranian authorities identified participants in anti-government protests before expanding into sports-related surveillance.

"Our focus was basically in terms of the protests and seeing how the Iran regime actually [was] trying to identify the protesters in the streets, identifying the leaders of the protests," Jafarzadeh said.

He added that investigators later concluded Iranian authorities paid particular attention to sports venues because of the large crowds they attract.

"When it comes to a sports field, the Iran regime has a special attention on sports as a means of repression," he said.

According to the report, officials discussed connecting ticketing systems to Iran’s national civil-registration database, assigning seats based on national identification numbers, deploying facial-recognition cameras, and monitoring fan organizations.

Jafarzadeh said the purpose of gathering such information was to identify government opponents.

"The information they got from the sports facilities, they used in order to identify the people who were opposed to the regime, and then later on arrested them," he said.

"The regime uses sports and athletic events in order to exert its repression on the population."

The report further alleges that Iran’s soccer federation has long been influenced by security-linked officials. Among those named is federation president Mehdi Taj, whom NCRI identifies as a former IRGC intelligence officer.

FIFA’s statutes require member associations to operate independently and remain free from political interference. The organization’s rules state that member associations must manage their affairs independently and remain neutral regarding political matters.

Jafarzadeh argued that FIFA should take action similar to measures previously imposed on South Africa during the apartheid era.

"You cannot have a sports club, a sports facility, dominated with the military, which is part of the Iran regime," he said. "Sports federations, they have to be able to operate autonomously, independent of the government...

"My message to FIFA is that do exactly what you did with South Africa during the apartheid. The Iranian Football Federation that is controlled by the Revolutionary Guards, must be expelled from FIFA."

Fox News Digital also reported that requests for comment were sent to FIFA.

The NCRI report additionally raised concerns about restrictions on women attending sporting events and cited previous reports from human rights organizations regarding barriers women have faced at stadiums in Iran.

The report also highlighted historical cases involving Iranian athletes who allegedly faced punishment because of political activities or opposition to the government.

Among those cited was former Iranian national team captain Habib Khabiri, whose case has been referenced by human rights organizations and international reports for decades.

As the 2026 FIFA World Cup approaches, the allegations are likely to increase scrutiny of Iran’s soccer federation and its relationship with government institutions.

Neither FIFA nor Iranian officials had publicly responded to the allegations at the time of publication.

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