World Cup 2026 suffers major setback as Iran WITHDRAWS over USA attacks

Iran has officially confirmed that it will not participate in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, pointing to the ongoing conflict involving host nation the United States as the reason behind the decision.

The announcement was made by Iran’s Sports Minister, Ahmad Donyamal, who explained that the prevailing geopolitical climate makes it impossible for the country to take part in the global tournament. Iran’s involvement in the competition had already been in doubt following a sharp escalation in military tensions last month.

According to reports, the situation intensified after the United States and Israel carried out coordinated strikes on Iran. The attacks reportedly led to the death of the country’s supreme leader and prompted retaliatory actions from Tehran against US-allied states in the Gulf region, further deepening the crisis.

When previously asked about the issue, US President Donald Trump told Politico that he was not concerned about Iran’s potential participation in the tournament. However, even before the official withdrawal was confirmed, the president of the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran, Mehdi Taj, had hinted that the country’s presence at the World Cup appeared unlikely given the rising political tensions.

Speaking during a televised interview reported by RTÉ, Sports Minister Ahmad Donyamal confirmed that Iran would not compete under the current circumstances.

“Since this corrupt government assassinated our leader, we have no conditions under which we can participate in the World Cup,” he said.

“In view of the malicious measures taken against Iran, two wars were forced upon us within eight or nine months, and several thousand of our people were killed. Therefore, we definitely have no possibility of participating in this way.”

The 2026 World Cup is scheduled to be hosted jointly by the United States, Canada, and Mexico from June 11 to July 19. Iran had been drawn in a group alongside New Zealand, Belgium, and Egypt, with their matches set to take place in Los Angeles and Seattle.

Earlier, FIFA president Gianni Infantino revealed that he had received assurances from President Trump that Iran would be welcomed to compete in the tournament despite the strained relations. Infantino said he had discussed preparations for the competition during a recent meeting with the US leader, reiterating FIFA’s hope that the World Cup would serve as a platform to unite people around the world.

Iran had secured its place at the tournament after finishing top of Group A in the Asian qualifiers, marking what would have been the nation’s fourth consecutive World Cup appearance.

Plans had also been made for the team to set up a training base at the Kino Sports Complex in Tucson, Arizona, but those arrangements are now effectively cancelled following the government’s decision to withdraw from the comp