Iran confirm they 'have no intention' to participate in 2026 World Cup in USA
Iran are currently in an ongoing war with the USA and Israel.
According to the Minister of Sport, Iran have declared that it would not compete in the forthcoming World Cup in the United States. They have made the decision to abstain from the 2026 World Cup.
Following the escalation of events in the Middle East, including strikes by the United States and Israel that resulted in Ayatollah Khamenei’s death and Iran’s attacks against nations like the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, the news began circulating.
Iran’s Minister of Sport, Ahmad Donjamali, has now made a declaration highlighting how impossible it is for the national team to play in the United States.
Iran minister rules out their participation in the World Cup in US
According to an article by Faz about Donald Trump’s stance guaranteeing the team’s participation, Donjamali declared on TV that their national team would not be competing in the World Cup:
“Since this corrupt government has assassinated our leader, we have no intention of participating in the World Cup.”
“Two wars have been imposed on us in eight or nine months and several thousand of our citizens have been killed,” the Minister of Sport said, highlighting the “evil measures taken against Iran” in the iribnews video.
Finally, Donjamali restated: “We have absolutely no chance of participating.”
Who can replace them in the World Cup now that they have withdrawn? Given that FIFA laws allow it to select the representative at its own discretion, there is no definitive answer.
FIFA’s Article 6.7 states this:
“If a participating member association withdraws and/or is excluded from the 2026 FIFA World Cup, FIFA will decide on the matter at its sole discretion and take any measures it deems necessary. FIFA may decide to replace the participating association in question with another association.”
Why Iran won’t compete in the 2026 World Cup?
Due to the war with the USA and the killing of their leader by the US.
Who will take their place in the competition?
FIFA will make a decision on that.
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After earning a bachelor's degree in mass media, Rajarshi began his career as a sports writer in 2019, driven by his passion for sports journalism. He has been working in the field for over six years. A devoted fan of Lionel Messi and Barcelona, Rajarshi has been involved in sports since childhood. Before turning his focus to journalism, he even represented his college at the state level. Along with covering football, he enjoys playing the game, watching movies, and experimenting with new recipes in his spare time, as cooking is one of his favorite hobbies.