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As the middle east plunges into a fresh crisis, there’s a possibility of Iran pulling out from this year’s FIFA World Cup scheduled to be co-hosted by USA, Canada and Mexico.
Donald Trump isn’t worried about whether Iran will take part in the FIFA World Cup. (PTI Photo)
When the FIFA World Cup 2026 gets underway with an unprecedented 48 teams taking part in USA, Canada and Mexico, Iran, the first country to qualify for the competition slated to be held this summer, may be missing in action. With USA launching aerial assault on Iran last weekend that resulted in the death of its supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei while plunging the region into chaos, Iran has already indicated it may skip the marquee event to be played from June 11 to July 19.
When USA President Donald Trump was asked by Politico about the prospect of Iran participating in the FIFA World Cup, he replied, “I really don’t care. I think Iran is a very badly defeated country. They’re running on fumes.”
Iran have are in Group G of the tournament alongside Belgium, Egypt and New Zealand. They are scheduled to play two matches in Los Angeles and one in Seattle.
Iranian Football Federation has already said a boycott of the competition is a real possibility.
“What is certain at the present time is that with this attack and this cruelty, we cannot look forward to the World Cup with hope,” Iranian Football Federation president Mehdi Taj told Iranian television after the joint US-Israeli strikes began on Saturday.
Iranian domestic football league has also been suspended.
FIFA, football’s governing global body, is cautious regarding the possibility of Iran pulling out of the World Cup.
“We had a meeting… and it is premature to comment in detail, but we will monitor developments around all issues around the world,” FIFA secretary general Mattias Grafstrom said on Saturday.
As per news agency AFP, no discussions have yet taken place with the Iranian Football Federation regarding a possible withdrawal of the team from the tournament.
What Happens If Iran Pulls Out?
Article 6 of the regulations for the 2026 World Cup states that “if a participating member association withdraws…as a result of force majeure,” FIFA “shall decide on the matter at its sole discretion and take whatever action is deemed necessary.”
If a team withdraws or is excluded from the competition, FIFA therefore has the freedom to take whatever decision it sees fit and “may decide to replace the participating member association in question with another association.”
It would seem logical that an eventual absence of Iran from the competition would open the way for another Asian nation to take their place.
At the moment eight Asian teams have qualified for the first World Cup to feature 48 teams in total. There could yet be a ninth Asian team, if Iraq win an intercontinental play-off against either Bolivia or Suriname, scheduled to be played on March 31 in Monterrey, Mexico.
With AFP Inputs
March 04, 2026, 13:19 IST
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