Iran’s national football team faces an uncertain path to the 2026 FIFA World Cup after the country’s Sports Minister, Ahmad Donyamali, publicly announced that their participation might be impossible. This declaration comes amidst escalating geopolitical tensions, with Minister Donyamali citing allegations that the United States, a co-host of the upcoming tournament, collaborated with Israel in an aerial attack that led to the killing of their leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. This serious accusation was made despite former US President Donald Trump having previously assured FIFA of a safe and warm welcome for the Iranian team on American soil.
For nearly two weeks, the region has seen a continuous exchange of aerial attacks between the US and Israel, as allies, and Iran. These hostilities have allegedly resulted in the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader and have triggered widespread conflict, impacting neighboring countries across the Persian Gulf.
With the 2026 FIFA World Cup approaching, Iran is one of the nations expected to compete in the tournament, which will be jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada. However, the current intense conflict with the US and Israel has cast significant doubt over Iran’s involvement. Minister Donyamali has taken a firm stance, stating that the men’s national football team will be prevented from participating in the World Cup due to the aforementioned alleged actions by the United States.
Speaking on Iranian television, Minister Donyamali emphasized his position: “Based on the fact that this corrupt state (America) has killed our leader, there is no way we can participate in the FIFA World Cup. Our children are not safe, and fundamentally, such conditions for participation should not exist.” He further reiterated that Iran’s absence from the 2026 World Cup would be a direct consequence of what he described as malicious acts by the United States and Israel, which he claims consistently provoke warfare.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup, set to expand to 48 participating teams for the first time, is scheduled to run from June 11 to July 19. According to preliminary plans, Iran was slated to play all three of its Group G preliminary matches on US soil. These fixtures included a match against New Zealand on June 15 in Los Angeles, followed by a clash with Belgium on June 21 at the same venue, and concluding with a game against Egypt five days later in Seattle.
