Iran cannot participate in 2026 World Cup, sports minister announces

Citing the ongoing airstrikes on Iran launched by the United States and Israel, the nation’s sports minister Ahmad Donyamali announced on television Wednesday that Iran cannot “participate” in the 2026 World Cup.

The United States, along with Mexico and Canada, is set to host the World Cup later this year.

Speaking on Iranian television, Donyamali declared that “[c]onsidering that this corrupt regime ⁠has assassinated our leader, under no circumstances can we ​participate in the World Cup.

“Our children are not safe and, ​fundamentally, such conditions for participation do not exist,” continued Donyamali. “Given the malicious actions they have carried out against Iran, they ‌have ⁠forced two wars on us over eight or nine months and have killed and martyred thousands of our people. Therefore, we certainly cannot have such a presence.”

Israel and the United States launched coordinated air strikes on Iran on February 28. In that initial wave of strikes, Iranian supreme leader Ali Hosseini Khamenei was killed, along with several high-ranking Iranian officials, and members of Khamenei’s family. Those initial air strikes have touched off wider conflict in the region, with Iran responding by launching drones and ballistic missiles at Israel and American bases in gulf nations, including Qatar, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Iraq, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey.

Iran’s national soccer team qualified for the 2026 World Cup nearly a year ago, after a 2-2 tie with Uzbekistan secured the points Iran needed to qualify out of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). At the 2026 World Cup Draw, held in Washington D.C. in December, Iran was slotted into Group G along with Belgium, Egypt, and New Zealand.

They are slated to begin their World Cup journey on June 15 against New Zealand in Los Angeles. After which they are scheduled to play Belgium on June 21 in Los Angeles, and finish group play on June 26 in Seattle against Egypt.

It is not entirely clear who would replace Iran if and when they officially withdraw from the 2026 World Cup. Article 6.5 of the FIFA World Cup 26 Regulations describes this scenario and the options are pretty wide open:

If a Participating Member Association withdraws or a match cannot be played or is abandoned as a result of force majeure, the authorised FIFA organising body (including the Tournament Operation Centre) shall decide on the matter at its sole discretion and take whatever action is deemed necessary.

At the World Cup Draw in December, FIFA awarded the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize to President Donald J. Trump.