Iran has announced it will not participate in the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, citing escalating tensions with Washington and the reported killing of its leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The decision was confirmed by Iran’s sports minister, Ahmad Donyamali, during remarks broadcast on state television, where he ruled out the country’s involvement in the tournament.
“Considering that this corrupt regime [the US] has assassinated our leader, under no circumstances can we participate in the World Cup,” the minister said. “Our children are not safe and, fundamentally, such conditions for participation do not exist.
“Given the malicious actions they have carried out against Iran, they have forced two wars on us over eight or nine months and have killed and martyred thousands of our people. Therefore, we certainly cannot have such a presence.”
The president of Iran’s football federation, Mehdi Taj, also dismissed the possibility of the national team travelling to the United States for the tournament.
“Which rational person would send the national team into such a situation?” he said, according to state news outlet WANA.
Iran had been scheduled to play all three of their group-stage matches in the United States and could potentially have faced the host nation in the round of 32 if both teams finished second in their respective groups.
Uncertainty over Iran’s participation had been growing since the United States and Israel carried out air strikes on Iran on 28 February. The conflict has since widened across the Middle East, with Iran responding by launching strikes on US military bases in the region.
The announcement comes shortly after FIFA president Gianni Infantino said United States president Donald Trump had assured football’s governing body that Iran would be welcome to take part in the tournament.
Trump had earlier said he “really didn’t care” whether Iran participated in the competition, but Infantino said the US leader had indicated support for the team’s inclusion after a meeting between the two men.
“This evening, I met with the president of the United States, Donald J Trump to discuss the status of preparations for the upcoming FIFA World Cup, and the growing excitement as we are set to kick off in just 93 days,” Infantino wrote on Instagram.
“We also spoke about the current situation in Iran, and the fact that the Iranian team has qualified to participate in the FIFA World Cup 2026. During the discussions, President Trump reiterated that the Iranian team is, of course, welcome to compete in the tournament in the United States.
“We all need an event like the FIFA World Cup to bring people together now more than ever, and I sincerely thank the president of the United States for his support, as it shows once again that football unites the world.”
Meanwhile, separate developments involving Iran’s women’s national team have also drawn international attention. Six members of the Iranian delegation were granted humanitarian visas in Australia after the team exited the Women’s Asian Cup tournament.
Five players initially sought asylum, and Australia’s home affairs minister Tony Burke later confirmed that an additional player and a member of the team’s support staff had also expressed a desire to remain in the country. One of the two individuals later reversed the decision and returned to Iran.
Concerns had been raised about the players’ safety following their decision not to sing the national anthem before their opening match against South Korea at the Asian Cup, which drew criticism from supporters of the Iranian government. The team later sang the anthem and saluted during their second and third group-stage matches.
Trump had previously urged Australia to grant asylum to the entire Iranian team, stating that the United States would do so if Australia declined.
The uncertainty surrounding Iran’s participation in the 2026 tournament comes as FIFA reportedly reviews its World Cup spending plans. According to The Athletic, the organisation is seeking to reduce the competition’s operating budget by more than $100 million as preparations continue.
FIFA had earlier outlined a total World Cup budget of $3.76 billion in its 2024 annual report, with operational costs including transport, safety and security estimated at $1.12 billion.
In a statement, the governing body said: “FIFA is constantly reviewing budget efficiencies to ensure costs are controlled, so that as much revenue as possible can be invested in the development of football around the world.
“This should not surprise anyone, as budget reviews are routinely applied prior to all our tournaments and events.”
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