Petition to FIFA and U.S. Authorities: Demand Sanctions, Visa Review, and Legal Accountability for Mohammad Mohebi After Gun-Firing Celebration at World Cup 2026
To:

FIFA Disciplinary Committee
FIFA Ethics and Compliance Division
FIFA President and FIFA Council
FIFA World Cup 2026 Organizing Authorities
U.S. Department of State
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
U.S. Department of Justice
Executive Office for Immigration Review

Petition Summary
We, the undersigned, respectfully call on FIFA and the appropriate United States authorities to take immediate action regarding Iranian national team player Mohammad Mohebi, who, after scoring during the FIFA World Cup 2026 match between Iran and New Zealand at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, performed a celebration that appeared to imitate firing a gun.

This gesture was widely perceived by viewers, fans, and media observers as a gun-firing motion. It took place inside a stadium in the United States, during the world’s largest football tournament, before a global audience, and in a highly sensitive public-safety and geopolitical environment.

We demand that FIFA immediately open a disciplinary investigation and impose appropriate sanctions if a violation is found. We further request that the U.S. Department of State, the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the Department of Justice review whether this conduct raises public-safety, admissibility, visa-compliance, or security concerns under applicable U.S. law, and take all lawful action available, including visa revocation, denial of future entry, removal proceedings, or deportation if legally warranted.

This petition does not ask any authority to act outside the law. It asks FIFA and U.S. authorities to apply their rules, regulations, and responsibilities seriously, consistently, and transparently.

Background

During the FIFA World Cup 2026 match between Iran and New Zealand at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, Mohammad Mohebi scored Iran’s second goal and then performed a celebration that many observers interpreted as mimicking the firing of a gun.

The incident sparked public concern and criticism because the gesture appeared to simulate armed violence in front of spectators and a global broadcast audience. The concern is especially serious because the match took place on U.S. soil, where stadium safety, threats, gun violence, and public security are matters of profound public importance.

Even if the player later claims that the gesture was spontaneous or not intended as a threat, the central issue remains the reasonable public perception, the impact on spectators, and the responsibility of a FIFA World Cup player to avoid conduct that may reasonably be interpreted as threatening, hostile, reckless, or glorifying violence.

In a FIFA World Cup environment, a player’s conduct is not merely private expression. It is a public act performed under FIFA authority, inside a regulated international sporting event, and, in this case, inside the territory of the United States.

FIFA Regulatory Basis for Action

FIFA has a duty to protect the integrity, safety, dignity, and reputation of its competitions. FIFA’s disciplinary and ethics framework exists to address misconduct, offensive behavior, unsporting conduct, intimidation, reputational harm, and conduct inconsistent with the spirit of fair play and respect.

A FIFA World Cup player represents not only himself, but also his national federation and the tournament. Players must conduct themselves in a manner consistent with the values of football, public safety, respect for spectators, and the integrity of the competition.

A gesture that appears to simulate gunfire during a World Cup match may reasonably fall within FIFA’s disciplinary concern because it can be viewed as:

Unsporting conduct;
Offensive or provocative behavior;
Conduct that may intimidate spectators;
Conduct that may damage the reputation of FIFA and the World Cup;
Conduct inconsistent with FIFA’s commitments to safe, respectful, and inclusive football;
Conduct that risks normalizing violence or weapon-related intimidation on the world’s largest sporting stage.
FIFA has imposed disciplinary sanctions in World Cup-related competitions when rules or disciplinary standards are violated. FIFA must now show that it will apply its standards consistently when player conduct raises safety, dignity, and reputational concerns.

U.S. Legal and Public-Safety Basis for Review
Because the incident occurred in the United States, appropriate U.S. authorities should review whether the conduct raises any concern under applicable U.S. immigration, visa, public-safety, or security laws and policies.

This petition respectfully requests review by:

1. U.S. Department of State
The Department of State should review whether Mohammad Mohebi’s visa status, visa eligibility, future admissibility, or continued ability to enter the United States should be reassessed under applicable immigration and visa laws.

If U.S. authorities determine that the conduct raises public-safety, security, admissibility, or visa-compliance concerns, the Department of State should consider all lawful actions available, including visa revocation or denial of future visa issuance if legally warranted.

2. U.S. Department of Homeland Security and ICE
The Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement should review whether the conduct warrants further inquiry as a public-safety or immigration-enforcement matter.

If legally supported by the facts and applicable law, DHS and ICE should take appropriate enforcement action, including referral, investigation, or initiation of removal-related steps.

3. U.S. Department of Justice and EOIR
The Department of Justice, through the Executive Office for Immigration Review, has authority over immigration court proceedings when removal proceedings are properly initiated by DHS.

If DHS determines that removal proceedings are legally warranted, DOJ/EOIR should ensure that the case is handled according to U.S. immigration law, due process, and public-safety considerations.

Why This Matter Requires Immediate Action
This incident is not a harmless celebration controversy. It raises serious questions about safety, accountability, and the standards expected from athletes participating in the FIFA World Cup.

The FIFA World Cup is watched by billions of people, including children, families, victims of violence, refugees, political prisoners’ families, and communities affected by war, terrorism, repression, and gun violence. Players on this stage have a heightened responsibility to avoid gestures that may be reasonably interpreted as threats, intimidation, or glorification of violence.

A gun-firing gesture in a stadium is particularly alarming when performed:

On U.S. soil;
In front of spectators;
During a global sporting event;
By a national team player;
Amid heightened political and security tensions;
In a country where public concern about gun violence and stadium security is extremely serious.
If FIFA and U.S. authorities ignore this conduct, they risk sending a dangerous message that weapon-simulating gestures are acceptable at the world’s largest sporting event.

Our Demands to FIFA
We respectfully demand that FIFA take the following actions:

1. Open an Immediate Disciplinary Investigation
FIFA should immediately open a formal disciplinary investigation into Mohammad Mohebi’s conduct during the Iran vs. New Zealand FIFA World Cup 2026 match.

2. Publicly Acknowledge the Complaint
FIFA should publicly acknowledge that the incident has been reported and is under review by the appropriate disciplinary authority.

3. Review All Available Evidence
FIFA should review all available video footage, broadcast angles, photographs, player statements, referee reports, match reports, stadium security assessments, media reports, and public-impact evidence.

4. Determine Whether FIFA Rules Were Violated
FIFA should determine whether the gesture violated FIFA’s disciplinary, ethics, fair-play, safety, dignity, or competition-integrity standards.

5. Impose Sanctions if a Violation Is Found
If FIFA determines that a violation occurred, FIFA should impose appropriate sanctions, including but not limited to:

Suspension from upcoming FIFA World Cup matches;
A formal disciplinary reprimand;
A financial penalty;
Mandatory public apology;
Mandatory player-conduct and anti-violence education;
Any additional sanction FIFA considers appropriate under its disciplinary authority.
6. Require Accountability from the Iran Football Federation
FIFA should require the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran to provide a formal explanation regarding the incident and clarify its position on weapon-simulating gestures, intimidation, or violence-associated celebrations during FIFA competitions.

7. Issue Clear Guidance Against Weapon-Simulating Gestures
FIFA should issue clear guidance that gestures simulating gunfire, armed threats, or violence are unacceptable in FIFA competitions, especially when performed toward spectators or broadcast globally.

Our Demands to U.S. Authorities
We respectfully request that the United States government take the following actions:

1. Department of State Visa Review
The U.S. Department of State should review Mohammad Mohebi’s visa status, visa eligibility, and future admissibility to the United States in light of the incident.

2. DHS and ICE Public-Safety Review
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement should review whether the conduct raises public-safety, immigration-enforcement, or security concerns under applicable U.S. law.

3. Review for Visa Revocation or Future Entry Restrictions
If legally warranted, U.S. authorities should consider visa revocation, denial of future entry, or other lawful immigration consequences.

4. Review for Removal or Deportation if Legally Warranted
If Mohammad Mohebi remains in or seeks reentry into the United States, and if U.S. authorities determine that legal grounds exist, DHS should consider initiating removal-related proceedings, and DOJ/EOIR should adjudicate any such proceedings according to law.

5. Public Accountability
U.S. authorities should treat this matter seriously because it occurred at a major international event hosted on U.S. soil and involved a gesture widely perceived as simulating gunfire toward or in front of spectators.

Statement of Principle
The FIFA World Cup must be a place for sport, unity, dignity, and respect. It must not become a platform for gestures that appear to glorify weapons, intimidation, or violence.

A player may celebrate a goal with passion. But a celebration that appears to simulate firing a gun crosses a serious line when performed at a global event, inside a stadium, and before millions of viewers.

This is not about nationality. This is not about politics. This is about public safety, player accountability, the integrity of football, and the responsibility of FIFA and host-country authorities to protect spectators and uphold the standards expected at the World Cup.

Conclusion
We call on FIFA, the U.S. Department of State, the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the Department of Justice to act immediately, transparently, and lawfully.

We ask FIFA to investigate and sanction Mohammad Mohebi if a violation is confirmed.

We ask U.S. authorities to review his visa status, admissibility, and public-safety implications, and to pursue visa revocation, denial of future entry, removal proceedings, or deportation if legally warranted.

The world is watching. FIFA and U.S. authorities must make clear that the World Cup will not tolerate gestures of armed intimidation, violence, or fear.

Respectfully,
The undersigned