Iran's sports minister has declared that the country's football team will not take part in the 2026 World Cup, citing US-led airstrikes that killed the supreme leader and triggered retaliatory attacks. Ahmad Donyamali told state television on Wednesday that 'under no circumstances can we participate' in the tournament co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.
The comments mark the first official Iranian government stance on the issue since the US began bombing Iran 10 days ago, with support from Israel. The strikes killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and prompted Iranian retaliation against Israel and neighbouring Gulf states. Mehdi Taj, president of Iran's football federation, had earlier said the matter would be left to the government.
Donyamali said: 'Considering that this corrupt regime has assassinated our leader, under no circumstances can we participate in the World Cup. Our children are not safe and, fundamentally, such conditions for participation do not exist.' His remarks came after Fifa president Gianni Infantino met US President Donald Trump at the White House on Tuesday, where Trump reportedly assured that Iran would be welcome at the tournament.
Infantino wrote on Instagram that Trump 'reiterated that the Iranian team is, of course, welcome to compete in the tournament in the United States'. Trump had earlier told Politico he did not care whether Iran took part. Iran have been drawn in Group G with Belgium, Egypt and New Zealand, with all their matches scheduled in the US, including two in Los Angeles and one in Seattle.
Withdrawal from the World Cup would be unprecedented in the modern era. Fifa's statutes prohibit member associations from pulling out unilaterally, and sanctions could include fines of up to €555,000 and a ban from future tournaments. Iran was the only qualified nation absent from a recent Fifa planning summit in Atlanta.
