Ahmad Donyamali, Iran’s Minister of Sport, has suggested that the country may not take part in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, citing the escalation of military tensions with the United States and Israel.
According to Donyamali, the current situation leaves no conditions for Iran to participate in the tournament. He said the country has faced two wars within a short period, and thousands of its citizens have been killed, making participation in the competition unrealistic under such circumstances.
Iran is scheduled to play its group-stage matches in Los Angeles and Seattle, where it would face Belgium, Egypt and New Zealand. The remarks came shortly after Gianni Infantino, president of FIFA, said he had spoken with U.S. President Donald Trump, who indicated that the Iranian national team would be welcome to compete in the tournament hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
However, Iranian citizens are currently subject to entry restrictions into the United States, and similar travel limitations also affect people from several other countries that have qualified for the World Cup, including Haiti, Senegal and Ivory Coast. Other national teams that could still qualify through the playoffs, such as Iraq or the Democratic Republic of the Congo, may face comparable issues.
Iran was among the first Asian teams to secure qualification for the tournament, winning a group that included regional rivals such as the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.
If Iran ultimately withdraws from the competition, FIFA regulations indicate the country could face financial penalties of at least €275,000, along with possible sporting sanctions that might prevent it from participating in other official competitions. In that scenario, FIFA could either allocate Iran’s place to another national team or reorganize the tournament group structure.
Possible replacements mentioned include Iraq or the United Arab Emirates. Iraq could secure qualification if it defeats Bolivia or Suriname in the intercontinental playoff scheduled for March 31 in Monterrey, Mexico.
