The Iran national football team will not participate in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, after the country’s sports minister announced that security concerns and strained diplomatic relations with the United States make participation impossible.
Iran’s Sports Minister, Ahmad Donyamali, confirmed the decision during a television interview, stating that current political and security conditions do not allow the national team to travel for the global football tournament.
According to the minister, ongoing hostilities in the Middle East and tensions with the United States, one of the host nations for the upcoming tournament, have created an unsafe environment for Iranian players and officials.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, is scheduled to run from June 11 to July 19, 2026. Iran had already qualified for the tournament and was drawn into a group with Belgium national football team, Egypt national football team, and New Zealand national football team.
All of Iran’s group-stage matches were set to be played in American cities, including Los Angeles and Seattle, which reportedly heightened concerns within the Iranian government amid the current geopolitical crisis.
The announcement follows escalating regional tensions after military strikes involving the United States and Israel, which Iranian officials say triggered a wider conflict and worsened diplomatic relations between the countries.