By Ghazali Ibrahim
Iran national football team is set to miss the 2026 FIFA World Cup after officials in the country signaled that the team will not participate in the tournament scheduled to take place in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Iran’s Sports Minister, Ahmad Donyamali, announced that the national team cannot take part in the tournament due to escalating geopolitical tensions involving Iran, the United States and Israel.
The decision comes after military strikes that Iranian authorities say killed the country’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, and caused widespread conflict in the region.
According to the minister, the ongoing crisis has made it impossible for the country to focus on sporting participation, with security and national considerations taking priority.
Iran had already qualified for the expanded 48-team tournament and was placed in Group G, where it was scheduled to face Belgium national football team, Egypt national football team, and New Zealand national football team.
However, the announcement has thrown the tournament’s planning into uncertainty. If Iran formally withdraws, FIFA will have to decide on a replacement team.
Analysts say Asian sides such as Iraq national football team or the United Arab Emirates national football team could potentially take Iran’s place.
FIFA has not yet confirmed Iran’s final status in the competition, though officials have indicated they still expect the tournament to go ahead as planned despite the political tensions.
If Iran officially withdraws, it could also face financial penalties and possible sporting sanctions under FIFA regulations for pulling out after qualifying for the competition.
