Iran withdraws from World Cup 2026: FIFA urgently decides on replacement
Iran withdraws from 2026 FIFA World Cup (Photo: Getty Images)
The Iranian national team will not compete in the upcoming FIFA World Cup. The country’s Ministry of Sports officially announced its withdrawal from the tournament due to ongoing armed conflict and the deaths of top government leaders, according to the DPA agency.
Official position of Tehran
The decision to withdraw the national team from the World Cup was announced by Iran’s Minister of Sports, Ahmad Donyamali.
The key reason for the withdrawal is the impossibility of preparing and competing under full-scale armed conflict conditions.
The minister emphasized that the country has been at war for the past eight to nine months, which has claimed thousands of lives.
Under these circumstances, participation in an international sporting forum is considered inappropriate by Tehran.
Political context and security
The situation escalated due to direct military confrontation with Israel and the United States, who are co-organizers of the tournament. As a result of air strikes, Iran lost its Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Interestingly, FIFA President Gianni Infantino had previously stated that he received assurances from Donald Trump regarding the safe entry of the Iranian delegation into the United States.
However, following the escalation of the conflict, Iran rejected the possibility of traveling to the host country.
Who will take Iran’s place
In the group stage of the 2026 World Cup, Iran was set to compete in Group G alongside Belgium, Egypt, and New Zealand.
Currently, the vacant spot remains open.
- FIFA decision: The organization must quickly determine a replacement.
- Candidates: Most likely, the quota will be transferred to another team from the Asian zone (AFC).
- Timeline: The World Cup will start on June 11 and run until July 19, with matches hosted in the US, Canada, and Mexico.
This marks the first time in the history of modern World Cups that a participating team has withdrawn from the tournament directly due to an active phase of military conflict affecting the host country.
