Iran’s participation in the 2026 World Cup has been thrown into serious doubt following weekend joint military strikes launched by the United States and Israel against the country, prompting Iranian sports officials to reconsider their position on attending the tournament.
Mehdi Taj, President of the Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran, indicated that the recent attacks have cast a shadow over the country’s involvement in the global sporting event.
While stopping short of announcing an official boycott, Taj stated that senior Iranian sports officials would evaluate the current situation before deciding on any potential action.
The 23rd World Cup is set to be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico from June 11 to July 19 this year. Iran qualified for the tournament by topping their group in the Asian qualifying rounds and were drawn into Group G alongside Belgium, Egypt, and New Zealand.
Significantly, all three of their group stage matches are scheduled to take place on American soil, with two games in Los Angeles and one in Seattle.
If Iran were to withdraw, it would mark an unprecedented move in the modern era of the World Cup, as no team that has already qualified has ever failed to participate in the finals.
The closest parallel dates back to 1992, when Yugoslavia was suspended from the European Championship due to United Nations sanctions amid a civil war, leading to their replacement by Denmark, who ultimately won the tournament.
Should Iran pull out, FIFA would likely need to find a replacement to maintain the full 48-team field.
The Asian Football Confederation would expect the replacement to come from its region, with Iraq emerging as the most probable candidate. Iraq currently faces Bolivia or Suriname in the intercontinental playoffs later this month, but if they fail to qualify, they would be well-positioned to step in.
This is not the first time political issues have intersected with Iranian football. Iran was briefly suspended by FIFA in 2006 over government interference in the sport, and previous World Cups have seen campaigns calling for the country’s expulsion over its ban on female fans attending stadium matches.
FIFA has generally preferred diplomatic engagement with Iranian authorities on such matters.
Adding another layer of complexity to the situation, Iranian-based fans will be unable to enter the United States under an executive order signed by former President Donald Trump, which restricts travel from several countries.
However, Iran can still expect considerable support from the large Iranian-American community in the U.S., estimated at around one million people.
Iran and the United States have a history of competitive encounters on the World Cup stage. In 1998, Iran secured a memorable 2-1 victory in France, while the U.S. won 1-0 in their meeting during the 2022 Qatar tournament.
Should both teams advance from their groups this year, they could potentially face each other again in the first knockout stage.
FIFA has not yet commented on contingency plans regarding the situation. Meanwhile, Andrew Giuliani, Executive Director of the White House Task Force for the World Cup, addressed the matter on social media, stating: “I pray the Iranian people will seize their liberty. We’ll deal with soccer games tomorrow – tonight, we celebrate their opportunity for freedom.”