Iranian Sports Minister Ahmad Doniamale confirmed that his country will not participate in the 2026 World Cup, scheduled to be held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
The United States and Israel have been waging war against Iran since February 28th, raising serious doubts about the Iranian national team’s participation in the tournament.
Earlier, the head of the Iranian Football Federation, Mehdi Taj, hinted at the difficulty of participating in the World Cup under these circumstances, leaving the final decision to political officials.
US President Donald Trump had stated that he did not care whether Iran participated in the World Cup or not, while FIFA President Gianni Infantino had asserted that the US would not object to Iran hosting the tournament.
Doniamale finally put an end to the speculation by announcing his country’s withdrawal from the World Cup, stating, “Since this corrupt government assassinated our leader (Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei), we no longer have the appropriate conditions to participate in the World Cup.”
He added, “Because of the hostile actions taken against Iran, we were forced to fight two wars within eight or nine months, and thousands of our citizens were killed. Therefore, we have no possibility of participating under these circumstances.”
This withdrawal marks the first time a team has dropped out of the World Cup since India withdrew from the 1952 edition due to high travel costs.
The identity of Iran’s replacement in the World Cup remains unknown. Press reports suggest that the spot will go to Iraq, which will participate in the intercontinental play-offs, with the UAE taking Iraq’s place in the play-offs.
