11.03.2026 16:30
Iran's Sports Minister Ahmed Donyamali announced that Iran will not participate in the 2026 FIFA World Cup due to the ongoing war environment. It has become a matter of curiosity which team will be invited to the tournament in place of Iran.
A significant development that has shaken the sports world occurred in the shadow of the war between the USA and Israel and Iran. Iran announced that it will not participate in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
OFFICIAL STATEMENT RELEASED
Iran's Minister of Sports, Ahmed Donyamali, announced that the country has decided not to participate in the 2026 World Cup, which will be jointly organized by the USA, Canada, and Mexico this summer. It was stated that the decision was made due to the ongoing war and political tensions in the region.
INFANTINO'S EFFORTS WERE IN VAIN
This announcement from Iran came immediately after FIFA President Gianni Infantino met with US President Donald Trump to secure assurances that Iranian players would be accepted into the tournament. Nevertheless, the Iranian administration decided not to participate in the tournament.
WHICH TEAM WILL REPLACE THEM?
According to reports in the British media, following Iran's withdrawal, FIFA is expected to invite a new team to fill the vacant spot. It is stated that the United Arab Emirates and Iraq, which participated in the Asian qualifiers, are among the leading candidates.
GROUP BALANCES WILL CHANGE
Iran was placed in Group G of the 2026 World Cup alongside Belgium, New Zealand, and Egypt. After the withdrawal decision, how the balances in the group will shape will be clarified by FIFA's decision.