According to the official website of the Football Federation, Mehdi Taj made these remarks on the sidelines of the Kurdistan Provincial General Assembly. He described Kurdistan as a highly capable province and referred to a recent match held in Marivan, stating that 2,500 spectators attended the game inside the futsal hall, while a similar number remained outside due to capacity limitations. This, he noted, demonstrates that football in the region is vibrant and continuing with strength.

The President of the Football Federation added that industrial units and major companies in Kurdistan Province can, within the framework of corporate social responsibility, invest in and manage sports teams, similar to what has been done in other provinces such as Isfahan and Kerman. He expressed optimism that further progress in this area could be achieved during an upcoming meeting with the provincial governor.

Commenting on Iran’s participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Taj stressed that qualification was earned on merit and not granted as a favor. He stated that the national team qualified convincingly and advanced to the World Cup as the top team in its group. As a result, he emphasized, no host country can remove a qualified team and replace it with another.

Regarding the national team’s preparation process, Taj acknowledged certain limitations and challenges but underlined that preparations are being pursued with full commitment. He also announced that two high-quality international friendly matches have been planned and will be officially announced in the near future.

In his capacity as Vice President of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), Taj addressed developments in futsal, noting that the AFC Club Futsal Championship had not been held for several years. He confirmed that, following extensive consultations, the competition is scheduled to resume across the continent starting in 2027. He explained that part of the tournament’s costs will be covered by the AFC, while the remaining expenses will be borne by the participating clubs.