Iran’s Sports Minister Ahmad Donyamali announced on March 11, 2026, that the national football team will not participate in the 2026 FIFA World Cup under any circumstances, citing the ongoing war triggered by U.S. and Israeli airstrikes that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Speaking on state television, Donyamali declared: “This corrupt regime has assassinated our leader. Under no circumstances can we participate in the World Cup.†He stressed major safety concerns, stating, “Our children are not safe, and fundamentally, the conditions for participation do not exist.â€
The minister accused the U.S. and Israel of imposing “two wars on us over the past eight or nine months,†resulting in thousands of deaths. Iran’s U.N. ambassador reported more than 1,300 civilian fatalities since the airstrikes began on February 28, 2026.
Tournament Context & Iran’s Group
- The 2026 FIFA World Cup, expanded to 48 teams, will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico from June 11 to July 19, 2026.
- In the December 2025 draw held at the John F. Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., Iran was placed in Group G with Belgium, Egypt, and New Zealand.
- All three of Iran’s group-stage matches were scheduled to be played in the United States: two in Los Angeles and one in Seattle.
Iran was the only qualified nation absent from FIFA’s recent planning summit for participating teams in Atlanta last week.
FIFA has not yet commented officially on the matter or on any potential replacement team. According to FIFA regulations, a team that withdraws no later than 30 days before the opening match faces a minimum fine of 250,000 Swiss francs (≈ $320,800) and may be expelled from future FIFA competitions, with the slot potentially reassigned.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino recently stated that he had spoken with U.S. President Donald Trump, who reportedly welcomed Iran’s participation in the tournament. However, sources in Tehran confirmed the decision is final: Iran will not attend the World Cup or play any warm-up matches due to the continuing regional conflict.
The developments highlight how the escalating geopolitical crisis is now directly impacting preparations for the largest World Cup in history.