Iran will not participate in the 2026 World Cup co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, as announced by the country’s sports minister, Ahmad Donyamali.
According to Donyamali, Iran decided to boycott the tournament following the death of its former Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei.
“Considering that this corrupt regime has assassinated our leader, under no circumstances can we participate in the World Cup,” he said.
The world football governing body, FIFA, has yet to respond to the decision made by the Middle Eastern country. However, its president, Gianni Infantino, had earlier posted on social media that US President Donald Trump assured him of the safety of the Iranian team, which was to have played in Los Angeles.
Why attack Iran?
He said, “This evening, I met with the President of the 🇺🇸 United States, Donald J. Trump, to discuss the status of preparations for the upcoming FIFA World Cup, and the growing excitement as we are set to kick off in just 93 days.
“We also spoke about the current situation in Iran, and the fact that the Iranian team has qualified to participate in the FIFA World Cup 2026. During the discussions, President Trump reiterated that the Iranian team is, of course, welcome to compete in the tournament in the United States.
“We all need an event like the FIFA World Cup to bring people together now more than ever, and I sincerely thank the President of the United States for his support, as it shows once again that Football Unites the World.”
