The spokesperson for the Association of Families of Victims of the Ukrainian Plane, Hamed Esmaeilion, announced today, Thursday, that the friendly match between the Iranian and Canadian national football teams has been canceled, and the Canadian Soccer Association also confirmed this news.
 

In this regard, the Canadian Association announced on Thursday, ten days before the friendly match between the two teams, the cancellation of the match, but the Association's tweets do not mention the details and reasons for canceling this friendly match.

The Canadian Soccer Association also added that additional details will be available soon to all ticket purchasers.
 

Earlier, the Iranian national team was scheduled to play a friendly match against the Canadian national football team in Vancouver on June 5, in the first World Cup qualifying match.

A Controversial Issue

The subject of this friendly match became a controversial political issue in Canada, especially since the majority of the victims of the Ukrainian flight that was shot down in Iran were Canadian citizens or permanent residents in this country.

The Association of Families of Victims of the Ukrainian Plane launched a widespread campaign to cancel the match in the days leading up to its organization, and several members of the conservative Canadian parliament issued a statement calling for the cancellation of the friendly match between the Iranian and Canadian national football teams.

Esmaeilion, who lost his wife and daughter in the downing of the Ukrainian plane, had earlier said that inviting the Iranian football team to Canada was a "slap" to the families of the passengers of flight (PS 752) who were killed.

It is worth noting that the Ukrainian plane carrying flight number PS 752 was shot down by two missiles launched by the Revolutionary Guard on January 8, 2020, minutes after the plane took off from the runway of Tehran International Airport, resulting in the death of all 176 people on board.

The Iranian authorities have not yet provided a clear answer regarding the ambiguity surrounding this case, and the families of the victims are demanding the trial and accountability of those responsible for firing at the plane.