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Iran Canada soccer

PressTV - Scads of emails to FIFA and no answers yet; following the Canadian national soccer team's pullout from a planned match with Iran, pressures have been heaping on Canada's footballing body, Canada Soccer, for what Iranian sports authorities regard as unsportsmanlike and illegal.

Press TV has been trying different ways to reach FIFA for answers, but to no avail.

The Iran match was due to take place on June 5 in Vancouver, as a preparatory friendly in the lead-up to the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. But nine days ahead of the game, Canada Soccer canceled the fixture, citing untenable geopolitical situation of hosting Iran.

The exhibition match was called off days after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau criticized Canada Soccer for its decision to play with Iran.

Days later, Team Canada set another match with Panama to replace the Iran contest. But to everyone's surprise, that game too was called off at the eleventh hour. This time, Canada Soccer cited payment disputes raised by the Canadian players as the reason why the Panama match was canceled.

To Iran's Sports Ministry, Canada's flip-flopping is against the FIFA regulations and deserves punishment.

The Iran match was a golden chance for the 38th ranked Canadian men to test their performance against a team that ranks 21st in the world. Now with the World Cup looming and just four years prior to serving as co-host of the 2026 men's World Cup, Canada Soccer has embroiled itself in a crisis that has the potential of leaving indelible scars on Canada's sport and its image in the world.