FIFA sued over Iran's World Cup exit, plaintiffs seek $1 billion in damages

A US federal lawsuit filed in Boston seeks $1 billion (about R$5.2 billion) in damages from FIFA and its president Gianni Infantino on behalf of up to 91 million Iranians and Iranian‑Americans. The suit, brought by Lotfollah Kaveh Afrasiabi – a former Harvard professor and ex‑advisor to Iran’s nuclear negotiations – alleges that a VAR decision wrongly disallowed Shojae Khalilzadeh’s goal against Egypt, costing Iran a win and a place in the knockout stage of the 2026 World Cup.

The complaint also claims the Iranian delegation faced discriminatory treatment, including visa denials for 11 team members, the inability to stay in the United States during the tournament, and a forced relocation of its training base to Tijuana, Mexico. Afrasiabi says these actions violated FIFA’s obligation to ensure equal preparation conditions for all teams. If the case succeeds, part of any award would be earmarked for youth sports programs in Iran. FIFA has not commented on the filing. The lawsuit follows a recent California court ruling that favored FIFA in a separate dispute over the use of Iran’s pre‑revolution flag at World Cup venues.