Minister cites security fears after U.S. strikes
Iran’s sports and youth minister said it is “not possible” for the country to take part in the 2026 FIFA World Cup following the killing of Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in the ongoing conflict involving the United States and Israel.
In remarks aired on Iranian state television, Sports and Youth Minister Ahmad Donyamali said Iran’s national team players would not be safe in the United States. The comments were published in a video clip posted Tuesday.
Match schedule in the U.S. now in question
Iran is scheduled to play New Zealand on June 15 in Inglewood, California, Belgium on June 21, and Egypt on June 26 in Seattle. The tournament is set to run from June 11 to July 19, hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Iran’s participation was thrown into doubt after U.S. and Israeli airstrikes began on Feb. 28, followed by retaliatory attacks across the region.
FIFA says Trump signaled Iran is welcome
FIFA president Gianni Infantino said he discussed preparations for the tournament with President Donald Trump and that Trump reiterated Iran would be welcome to compete. A White House official later confirmed the message in reporting cited by The Associated Press.
Trump had previously said he did not care whether Iran participated, but Infantino described the U.S. position as supportive of Iran’s presence in the tournament.
Withdrawal scenarios and broader fallout
Iranian football officials have also expressed uncertainty. Mehdi Taj, Iran’s top soccer official and a vice president of the Asian Football Confederation, said last week that Iran could not be expected to approach the tournament “with hope” after the attack.
FIFA’s rules for a late withdrawal are unclear, but a replacement for Iran in its group could be considered, with Iraq or the United Arab Emirates among possibilities cited in the report.
Separately, six members of Iran’s delegation have been granted humanitarian visas following the team’s exit from the Women’s Asian Cup in Australia, after some players sought asylum, according to the report.