Iran has announced that it will not participate in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which is scheduled to be hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
According to Iranian Sports Minister Ahmad Donya Mali, the decision was made in response to rising tensions with the United States.
Speaking to local media, the minister said that Iran could not justify sending its national team to compete in a tournament hosted in the United States under the current circumstances.
He stated that after what he described as the United States martyring Iran’s Supreme Leader, participation in the tournament was no longer possible.
‘There is no justification for participating in the World Cup under such conditions,’ he said, adding that the safety of Iranian players and delegation members could not be guaranteed.
Donya Mali further noted that the prevailing political and security environment made it inappropriate for Iran to take part in the global football event. ‘Our children are not safe, and the conditions are not conducive to participating in the World Cup,’ he said.
FIFA has not yet issued an official response to Iran’s announcement. The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the first tournament to be jointly hosted by three countries and is expected to feature an expanded format with 48 teams competing for the title.
Chief Operating Officer of FIFA stated
On the other hand, the Chief Operating Officer of FIFA, Hemo Shargi has said that the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be held as scheduled despite the ongoing tensions in the Middle East.
Speaking to the media in Dallas, Texas, Shargi said that the World Cup is a massive global event and postponing it is not possible. He added that FIFA hopes all teams that have qualified will be able to participate in the tournament.
He also noted that FIFA is closely monitoring the situation in the Middle East and reviewing developments on a daily basis in coordination with international partners.
According to FIFA, the Iranian national team qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup through the Asian Football Confederation, but due to the ongoing conflict, there is uncertainty regarding its participation.
Read more: Bangladesh thrash Pakistan by 8 wickets in 1st ODI of series
