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The government of Iran announced that its national football team will not participate in the 2026 World Cup, a decision that could alter the composition of the tournament just a few months before its start and force FIFA to decide which country will take its place.
The information was confirmed by Iranian Sports Minister Ahman Donyamali, who justified the withdrawal due to the escalation of the conflict with the United States and Israel.
“After the corrupt government killed our leader, there are no conditions that allow us to participate in the World Cup”, stated Donyamali, quoted by international agencies reporting statements released by DPA.
The official refers to the attacks by the United States and Israel on February 28, in which the supreme leader of Iran, Ali Jamenei, was killed.
In that context, the minister stated that the country is experiencing a situation incompatible with international sports participation.
“Considering the malicious actions taken against Iran, we have been imposed two wars in eight or nine months, and thousands of our citizens have died. Therefore, we definitely do not have any possibility of such participation,” he added.
Contradiction with what was announced by FIFA and the United States
The statements from the Iranian minister contrast with what was claimed hours earlier by FIFA President Gianni Infantino, after meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump to discuss preparations for the World Cup.
"This afternoon, I met with the President of the United States, Donald J. Trump, to discuss the state of preparations for the upcoming FIFA World Cup," Infantino wrote on Instagram.
The leader assured that during the meeting they also discussed the situation in Iran and its participation in the tournament.
“During the conversation, President Trump reiterated that the Iranian team is, of course, welcome to compete in the tournament in the United States,” he stated.
The 2026 World Cup will begin on June 11 and will be the first in history with 48 participating teams.
According to the scheduled calendar, Iran was set to play its three group stage matches in the United States
June 15 against New Zealand in Los Angeles.
- June 21 against Belgium, also in Los Angeles.
- June 26 against Egypt, in Seattle.
In November last year, the U.S. government had guaranteed that Iranian players and coaching staff would receive visas to enter the country, although it was not planned to grant them to fans for national security reasons.
Potential economic and sports sanctions
If the withdrawal is officially confirmed to FIFA, the Iranian federation could face significant economic and disciplinary sanctions.
The regulations for the 2026 World Cup state that if a team withdraws more than 30 days before the start of the tournament, the minimum fine will be 250,000 Swiss francs (around 323,700 dollars).
If the resignation occurs with less than 30 days' notice, the minimum penalty would be 500,000 Swiss francs (approximately 647,700 dollars).
In addition, Iran would have to reimburse the funds received from FIFA for the tournament preparation.
The FIFA Council approved in December a grant of 1.5 million dollars for each qualified team, aimed at covering expenses leading up to the World Cup, in addition to 10.5 million dollars for participating in the competition.
These economic penalties could be accompanied by disciplinary measures, such as the exclusion of the Iranian federation from future competitions organized by FIFA.
Who could take Iran's place?
The possible exit of Iran opens the debate about which team could occupy its spot in the tournament. The World Cup regulations leave this decision in the hands of FIFA.
Article 6.7 states that if a federation withdraws or is excluded, "FIFA will decide at its sole discretion and take the necessary actions," including the possibility of replacing it with another team.
If the number of spots allocated to the Asian Football Confederation remains at 8.5, the main candidate to benefit would be Iraq, which has earned the right to compete in the international playoff.
That match is scheduled for March 31 in Monterrey (Mexico) against the winner of the matchup between Bolivia and Suriname.
If Iraq directly takes Iran's spot, the United Arab Emirates could inherit the position in the Asian play-offs, having lost to the Iraqi team in the regional playoff.
Difficulties for the selections in the region
The instability in the Middle East is already impacting the preparation of several teams.
The Iraqi federation reported logistical issues arising from the regional conflict.
"Due to the closure of the airspace, our coach, Graham Arnold, is unable to leave the United Arab Emirates," the organization reported in a statement posted on Instagram.
The federation also noted difficulties for players and team members to obtain visas.
“Several embassies remain closed at this time, which prevents various professional players, as well as technical and medical staff, from obtaining entry visas to Mexico,” he added.
For now, Iran's withdrawal has not been officially communicated to FIFA, so the future of the team in the 2026 World Cup remains uncertain.
Meanwhile, other teams are closely watching the situation in light of the possibility of taking an unexpected spot in the biggest competition in world football.
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