Iran’s World Cup 2026 Participation in Doubt Amid Rising Tensions
Iran’s participation in the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup has come under serious uncertainty after comments from the country’s Minister of Sports and Youth, Ahmad Donyamali. The global tournament, which will be hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, is set to begin on June 11, but Iran’s ability to participate is now being questioned due to escalating geopolitical tensions.
According to the tournament schedule, Iran were set to play three group-stage matches. Their fixtures include clashes with New Zealand and Belgium in Los Angeles on June 15 and June 21, followed by a match against Egypt in Seattle on June 26. However, the ongoing conflict involving Iran has cast serious doubt on whether the team will travel for the tournament.
The situation intensified after the United States and Israel carried out military strikes in Iran, reportedly killing the country’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iran responded by launching missiles and drones targeting Israel and regions hosting U.S. military bases, further escalating the conflict.
Speaking to Iran’s state broadcaster, Donyamali said the country currently does not have the appropriate conditions to take part in the tournament. He stated that following the assassination of the country’s leader and months of conflict, the safety of the players cannot be guaranteed. According to him, several thousand Iranian citizens have died during the recent conflicts, making participation in an international sporting event unrealistic.
Despite these concerns, Gianni Infantino, president of FIFA, indicated that Iran would still be welcomed at the tournament. After meeting with Donald Trump, the president of the United States, Infantino said the American leader had expressed support for Iran’s participation and emphasized that football should unite people during difficult times. Infantino also highlighted the importance of the World Cup as a global event that brings nations together despite political differences.
Meanwhile, Mehdi Taj, the head of the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran, has also raised concerns about whether the team can safely travel to the United States. His remarks came after six members of Iran’s women’s national football team were granted humanitarian visas by Australia due to safety concerns.
The rest of the Iranian women’s team had already left Australia earlier this week following their elimination from the AFC Women’s Asian Cup. Australia’s Home Affairs Minister, Tony Burke, confirmed that seven individuals were offered asylum, although one later chose to return to Iran.
Taj suggested that if similar security concerns continue, sending Iran’s men’s national team to the United States for the World Cup would be a difficult decision. He argued that no responsible authority would risk the safety of players under such uncertain circumstances.
If Iran ultimately withdraws from the tournament, FIFA regulations allow the governing body to select a replacement team. While the decision process remains unclear, possible alternatives could come from the Asian Football Confederation. Teams such as Iraq or the United Arab Emirates could potentially take Iran’s place, although FIFA rules do not require the replacement team to come from the same confederation.
However, analysts believe it may still be too early to rule Iran out of the tournament entirely. The final decision will likely be made by the Iranian football federation rather than the sports ministry. For now, FIFA continues to list Iran in the competition schedule, and the governing body is expected to wait until the final qualification play-offs later this month before making any official decision.
Iran has faced similar situations before. During the qualification process for the 1982 FIFA World Cup, Iran refused to play against Kuwait due to political tensions. That decision resulted in the team failing to qualify and later receiving a ban from the 1986 FIFA World Cup.
For now, the global football community continues to watch the situation closely. Much will depend on how the conflict between Iran, the United States, and Israel evolves in the coming weeks. FIFA is expected to delay any major decisions until the political and security situation becomes clearer.