COW – Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, FIFA – May 28, 2026

We're proud to host the FIFA World Cup. We want to have a safe and successful event.
No Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) official, current or former, has been allowed to enter Canada to attend the FIFA Congress in Vancouver, which took place at the end of April.
We have been clear and consistent: IRGC officials are inadmissible to Canada and have no place in our country. This ban has been enforced.
We have taken strong action to hold the IRGC to account and will continue to do so.

Iranian Regime Designation

Canada stands with the people of Iran, who continue to fight for their human rights. We took action so that senior members of the Iranian regime cannot find safe haven in Canada.
Anyone who served as a senior official of the Islamic Republic of Iran, including the IRGC, from June 23, 2003, onward is inadmissible to Canada.
Being inadmissible means that they're not allowed to enter or stay in Canada.
All Iranians are screened before coming to Canada. Anyone involved in violence, terrorism, human rights violations, and criminal activity is inadmissible and not allowed to come to Canada.

We cannot comment on individual cases due to privacy laws.
It's important to know that some people with ties to the regime were already in Canada before these rules were in place. Those people are being investigated and could be removed from Canada.
These decisions are not made lightly—we can only remove people within the limits of the law. Officers need to look at all the facts and evidence. Everyone has the right to due process.

2026-09-25