Iran Edges Closer to 2026 FIFA World Cup Withdrawal

Iran looks set to withdraw from the 2026 FIFA World Cup after its Sports Minister told state media that “under no circumstances can we participate in the World Cup.”

Ahmad Donyamali referenced the missile strikes launched by the United States and Israel on February 28, which killed the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and to which Iran responded with its own retaliatory strikes on military bases and residential areas in Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Israel, Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Cyprus and ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

While not mentioning him by name, the Minister said that his country would not be able to participate in the World Cup due to President Donald Trump’s decision to attack Iran, saying “this corrupt regime has assassinated our leader.”

“Our children are not safe and, fundamentally, such conditions for participation do not exist,” said Donyamali. “Given the malicious actions they (the U.S. and Israel) 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.”

Iran’s U.N. Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani estimates that more than 1,300 Iranian civilians have been killed since the airstrikes began at the end of last month. Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said earlier this week that at least 486 people in Lebanon and at least 13 in Israel had also died.

It came just hours after FIFA President Gianni Infantino said that he had met with President Trump and that he had told him that the Iranian team is “of course, welcome to compete in the tournament in the United States.” That was despite President Trump having previously been reported to say “I don’t really care” with regards to the team’s participation.

Iran is due to compete in Group G alongside Belgium, Egypt and New Zealand, playing matches in Inglewood, California, and Seattle, Washington. It has also selected a team base camp training site in Tucson, Arizona, for use between traveling to matches and staying at its hotel.

No national team has withdrawn from the Men’s FIFA World Cup since 1950 when Türkiye, Scotland, France and India all quit before a ball had even been kicked. The teams, joining Austria from 1938 and Uruguay from 1934, attributed their withdrawal to a number of reasons, including Austria’s occupation by Nazi Germany, a mismatch in competition, travel complications and India being refused the opportunity to play barefoot.

It has been suggested that Iran could face disciplinary action and a potential multi-tournament ban from FIFA if it decides to withdraw from the 2026 edition. FIFA regulations currently state that any team that withdraws from its competitions “no later than 30 days before the first match” will be fined a minimum of 250,000 Swiss francs (or $320,000).

Meanwhile, there would be questions about who could take Iran’s place in the competition. That could be Iraq, which is due to compete in an inter-confederation play-off with Bolivia and Suriname later this month, or the United Arab Emirates, which lost out to Iraq in the fifth round of Asian qualifying and is seeking a debut appearance at a Men’s FIFA World Cup.

Those countries, however, would also face challenges in traveling to Mexico for the intercontinental play-offs due to the grounding of flights and disruption caused by the war in the Middle East.

In other potentially drastic scenarios, some groups might even have to be adjusted to ensure that two teams from the same confederation (e.g. UEFA, Conmebol, Concacaf etc) cannot meet in the group stage.

Iranian Women’s Team’s Asylum in Australia

In the meantime, five players from Iran’s National Women’s Soccer Team were granted asylum in Australia this week, following their elimination from the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 last weekend.
Australian Minister for Home Affairs Tony Burke said that team captain Zahra Ghanbari, as well as Zahra Sarbali Alishah, Mona Hamoudi, Fatemeh Pasandideh and Atefeh Ramezanizadeh would be provided with Australian humanitarian visas amidst the conflict back home in Iran. However, one of those players, whose identity is protected, has since changed her mind and declined asylum following discussions with teammates.

The players were granted asylum by Australia after they refused to sing the Iranian national anthem ahead of their opening game against South Korea, which they lost 3-0. The action led to Iranian state broadcaster IRIB calling the players “traitors” whose actions were “the pinnacle of dishonor” and the players’ team bus being blocked by protesters after their defeat, raising concerns that they would face severe punishment if they were to return to Iran.

Although the players did not publicly reveal why they refused to sing the national anthem in their opening game, it was interpreted by many commentators as an act of defiance against the Iranian Government, due to alleged persecution and discrimination related to strict sharia law regulations and human rights violations.

President Trump had earlier urged Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to “give ASYLUM” to the team via a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, and warned that failure to do so would be a “terrible humanitarian mistake” that could put their lives in danger on returning to Iran.