Iran has announced it will withdraw from the 2026 FIFA World Cup, citing the recent airstrikes by the United States and Israel that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and sparked a wider conflict in the Gulf, according to Iran’s Sports Minister Ahmad Donyamali.
Speaking to state television on Wednesday, Donyamali said, “Considering that this corrupt regime has assassinated our leader, under no circumstances can we participate in the World Cup.” He added that the safety of Iranian athletes cannot be guaranteed under the current conditions, and cited ongoing hostilities and previous conflicts as reasons for the withdrawal.
The 2026 World Cup, which will feature 48 teams, is set to take place in the United States, Mexico, and Canada from June 11 to July 19. Iran was drawn into Group G alongside Belgium, Egypt, and New Zealand, with all three of its group matches scheduled in the US — two in Los Angeles and one in Seattle.
Iran qualified for the tournament after dominating the Asian qualifying rounds last year, but the team was notably absent from a recent FIFA planning summit for World Cup participants in Atlanta. Officials from the Iranian Football Federation did not immediately respond to requests for comment, and FIFA has not confirmed what steps would be taken if Iran follows through with the boycott.
Under FIFA regulations, any team that withdraws from the World Cup at least 30 days before the tournament may face a fine of 250,000 Swiss francs (US$320,800) and could be expelled from future competitions, with the option for FIFA to replace the team with another member association.
Earlier, FIFA President Gianni Infantino said he met with US President Donald Trump, who expressed that the Iranian team was welcome to participate in the tournament. Despite this, a source in Tehran confirmed that Iran has decided not to attend, and the ongoing conflict also makes it impossible to schedule warm-up matches.
According to Iran’s UN ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani, over 1,300 Iranian civilians have been killed since the airstrikes began on February 28, further underscoring the country’s concerns over the safety of its athletes and delegation.
