Iran Bans Sports Teams from Hostile Nations Travel

TEHRAN, Iran—Iran's Ministry of Sports and Youth announced on Thursday a ban prohibiting national and club sports teams from traveling to countries deemed hostile, citing security risks for athletes amid the ongoing Middle East conflict. The decision directly affects an upcoming playoff match for Iranian club Tractor FC against UAE's Shabab Al-Ahli, scheduled to take place in Saudi Arabia.

The ministry's statement, reported by state media, emphasized that such travel is forbidden until further notice due to concerns over inadequate security guarantees in those nations. It specifically referenced the Tractor game, a quarterfinal playoff in the Asian Champions League Elite, which was drawn on Wednesday following the postponement of western zone matches because of regional instability. The Asian Football Confederation had rescheduled those playoffs for April 13-14 in Jeddah, with the Saudi city also set to host subsequent quarterfinals, semifinals and the final from April 16-25. Iranian officials instructed the national football federation and clubs to notify the confederation immediately to relocate the affected games to safer venues.

The ban comes nearly a month after the...