FIFA Congress Vancouver Now 4 Days Away — Iran Fate, 2031 Women's World Cup Bid on Agenda

With the 76th FIFA Congress at Vancouver Convention Centre now just four days away (April 30), delegates from all 211 FIFA member nations are traveling to Canada. The Congress is the formal decision point for Iran's World Cup participation crisis: Secretary of State Rubio's April 24 statement cleared Iranian athletes but barred IRGC-affiliated personnel, and Congress will determine next steps for the 47-day countdown. A second major agenda item is the formal vote on the 2031 FIFA Women's World Cup host — an uncontested joint bid by the USA, Mexico, Costa Rica, and Jamaica, launched in October 2025 and backed by US Soccer Federation; approval would mark the first Women's World Cup in North America since 1999. Palestine Football Association president Jibril Rajoub and two other Palestinian football officials remain unable to attend after being denied Canadian visas on April 14, preventing Palestinian leadership from formally presenting their case to FIFA's ruling on Israeli settlement clubs — a decision that drew sharp criticism from human rights organizations. BC Place stadium in Vancouver — one of Canada's two World Cup host venues — is serving as a focal point for pre-tournament media and fan engagement events in the leadup to the Congress.