Members of the European Parliament have sent an open letter to FIFA President Gianni Infantino, urging the world football governing body to clarify what actions it has taken regarding the situation of imprisoned Iranian footballers.
The letter was signed by Hannah Neumann, Chair of the European Parliament's Delegation for Relations with the Iranian People; Daniel Attard and Bart Groothuis, Vice-Chairs of the delegation; and Lucas Fourlas, the Parliament's standing rapporteur on relations with Iran.
In the letter, the signatories asked whether FIFA has raised the issue of detained Iranian footballers with the Iranian Football Federation ahead of Iran's first match in the 2026 FIFA World Cup and whether it has sought information regarding the players' welfare, legal status, and safety.
They also questioned what measures FIFA has taken under its human rights policy and safeguarding framework in response to reports of the arbitrary detention of Iranian footballers, and how it intends to ensure that human rights considerations remain central to its engagement with Iranian football authorities.
The lawmakers further asked whether FIFA would acknowledge and address the broader human rights situation affecting footballers in Iran in connection with Iran's future participation in the World Cup.
The letter noted that while the world will be watching Iran's national team compete at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, several Iranian footballers reportedly remain imprisoned, and at least one young football player is said to be facing the imminent risk of execution.
The signatories asked a direct question: "Will FIFA speak out when footballers themselves are reportedly imprisoned, disappeared, or facing execution?"
Human rights organizations have documented cases in which current and former football players have been subjected to arbitrary detention, denial of fair trial rights, torture, enforced disappearance, lengthy prison sentences, and, in at least one case, a final death sentence. Among them is Ehsan Hosseinipour Hesarloo, a 19-year-old footballer who, according to reports, faces an imminent risk of execution following judicial proceedings criticized by lawyers and human rights advocates.
Referring to FIFA officials' repeated statements that football represents "human dignity, inclusion, and respect," the members of the European Parliament argued that the credibility of such commitments is not measured by their appearance in policy documents, but rather when footballers themselves are imprisoned.
The lawmakers added that FIFA has previously demonstrated a willingness to address football-related human rights concerns in Iran, including the longstanding exclusion of women from stadiums and barriers to their equal participation in sports. "Today, the same principle is being tested once again," they wrote. "The question is not whether FIFA can solve Iran's human rights crisis; no sports organization has that power. The question is whether FIFA is once again prepared to raise its voice."
The letter concluded with a warning that silence under such circumstances risks conveying the troubling message that human rights commitments are celebrated when they are convenient and cost little, but become optional when they prove politically difficult.
