Iran threatens to boycott 2026 World Cup amid war and US diplomatic crisis
The 2026 World Cup, which will take place in the United States, Mexico and Canada, has been widely discussed by the public, though not positively. Following recent events in the Middle East, Iran’s Minister of Sport has declared that the country may not participate. The statement likely followed air strikes that reportedly resulted in the death of the supreme leader, Ali Khamenei.
Iran’s Minister of Sport, Ahmad Donyamali, stated that the country may not compete in the World Cup for security reasons and political protest. In an interview with state television, he said that, in view of the assassination of the Iranian leader by the attacks that occurred, which Iran attributes to the United States and Israel, there are no conditions for participation.
According to the minister, the current war situation makes it unfeasible to send the national team to compete in the territory of one of the countries directly involved in the conflict. He also mentioned the high number of civilian victims and the climate of instability as the main factors for making this decision. The already tense situation worsened after the bombings carried out at the end of February that reportedly caused the death of the Iranian supreme leader, an episode that generated further clashes across several regions of the Gulf.
The Iranian national team secured a place in the World Cup after a strong performance in the Asian qualifiers and was drawn in Group G, alongside Belgium, Egypt and New Zealand. The three group-stage matches are scheduled to take place in American cities: Los Angeles and Seattle.
Possible consequences of a withdrawal
If the withdrawal becomes official, FIFA will have to decide how to deal with the situation. The regulations provide for fines and even more serious sanctions for national teams that withdraw from the competition within certain deadlines. In addition, FIFA would still have to assess the replacement of Iran with another national team, which would alter the entire match schedule already planned, as well as the logistics of the tournament.
FIFA seeks dialogue to avoid a larger crisis
Following the statements from Iranian officials, FIFA president Gianni Infantino said he had spoken with the authorities of the United States about the situation. According to him, the American government had signalled that Iran’s national team would be welcome to take part in the tournament, despite the political tensions, stressing that politics and sport should remain separate.
The 2026 World Cup already promises to be historic for bringing together 48 national teams for the first time. Even so, the war involving Iran may turn the championship into an extension of the conflict. The possible absence of the country may also have a commercial and political impact within the tournament. The World Cup generates billions of dollars in sponsorships, broadcasting rights and sports tourism. A last-minute withdrawal may generate financial losses, affect contracts already signed and force FIFA to reorganise part of the logistical planning, including ticket sales and the allocation of training centres.
The 2026 World Cup is scheduled to take place between June and July 2026, marking the first edition with 48 national teams and also the first held in three host countries: the United States, Mexico and Canada. The opening match is expected to take place at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City, while the final is expected to be played in the United States, probably in New Jersey. In total, the tournament will feature 16 host cities, including centres such as Los Angeles, Seattle, Toronto, Vancouver and Dallas.
This article was first published in Portuguese on 11 March 2026.
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