Iran Says 'Under No Circumstances' Will It Play In 2026 World Cup

Iran says its men's national soccer team will not participate in the 2026 FIFA World Cup following the recent military conflict in the Middle East.

Iran's sports minister, Ahmad Donyamali, said Wednesday that the country cannot send its national team to a tournament that will be hosted primarily in the United States.

"Considering that this corrupt regime ⁠has assassinated our leader, under no circumstances can we participate in the World Cup," Donyamali said on state television.

(Alex Kraus/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

The situation stems from the ongoing "Operation Epic Fury" that began with joint strikes by the United States and Israel on Feb. 28 and killed Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be held across North America this summer, with the United States serving as a primary host.

Iran had already qualified for the tournament and was drawn into Group G with New Zealand, Belgium and Egypt. The team was scheduled to open play June 15 at SoFi Stadium in California.

But Donyamali suggested that the security situation and the political conflict make participation impossible.

"Our children are not safe and, fundamentally, such conditions for participation do not exist," he said. "Given the malicious actions they have carried out against Iran, they ‌have ⁠forced two wars on us over eight or nine months and have killed and martyred thousands of our people. Therefore, we certainly cannot have such a presence."

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Iran had previously expressed uncertainty about the tournament. Iranian soccer federation president Mehdi Taj said earlier that "we cannot be expected to look forward to the World Cup with hope" following the attacks.

As of now, FIFA has not confirmed Iran's official withdrawal or who might replace the team if it does not compete. Iraq is considered the most likely replacement from the Asian Football Confederation.

If Iran officially withdraws, the decision could come with significant financial consequences. Participating teams receive at least $10.5 million from FIFA, and withdrawing could also lead to fines of about $320,000 while potentially affecting Iran's standing for the 2030 World Cup.

President Donald Trump Does Not Care Whether Iran Decides To Play In World Cup

President Donald Trump, however, has made it clear he is not concerned about whether Iran participates in the tournament.

"I really don’t care," Trump told Politico when asked about the situation. "I think Iran is a very badly defeated country. They’re running on fumes."

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Trump reiterated his support for the tournament itself during a meeting with FIFA president Gianni Infantino, who said the two discussed preparations for the event.

"During the discussions, President Trump explained that the Iranian team is, of course, welcome to compete in the tournament in the United States," Infantino wrote on Instagram.

"We all need an event like the FIFA World Cup to bring people together now more than ever, and I sincerely thank the President of the United States for his support, as it shows once again that Football Unites the World."

President Donald Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino pose for photographs with a soccer uniform in the Oval Office.

(Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Iran's participation in the tournament had already been complicated by travel restrictions stemming from the escalating conflict in the region. A delegation from the Iranian football federation did not attend FIFA planning meetings in Atlanta last week for that very reason.