NEW DELHI: Iran’s sports minister Ahmad Donyamali said on Wednesday that the country cannot participate in the 2026 FIFA World Cup after the United States killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, according to a report by Al Jazeera citing Reuters.
“Considering that this corrupt regime [the US] has assassinated our leader, under no circumstances can we participate in the World Cup,” Ahmad Donyamali told state television on Wednesday, according to the report.
The latest round of conflict between Israel and the United States on one side and Iran on the other began on February 28. The West Asia conflict has also disrupted global energy supply chains.
Ahmad Donyamali said the conditions required for participation in the FIFA World Cup do not exist.
“Our children are not safe and, fundamentally, such conditions for participation do not exist. Given the malicious actions they have carried out against Iran, they have forced two wars on us over eight or nine months and have killed and martyred thousands of our people. Therefore, we certainly cannot have such a presence,” Donyamali said, according to the Al Jazeera report citing Reuters.
The United States will co-host the 2026 FIFA World Cup alongside Canada and Mexico.
The tournament will feature 104 matches, beginning at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City on June 11 and culminating at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, with the final on July 19.
All of Iran’s group-stage fixtures are scheduled to be played in American cities, including Los Angeles and Seattle.
Donyamali’s remarks came after Gianni Infantino, president of FIFA, said in an Instagram post on Wednesday that Iran’s participation in the World Cup would be welcomed by US President Donald Trump.
“President Trump reiterated that the Iranian team is, of course, welcome to compete in the tournament in the United States,” Gianni Infantino said in the social media post.
Earlier, Mehdi Taj, president of the Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran (FFIRI), also questioned Iran’s participation in the tournament following the recent attacks, saying it would be difficult for the country to approach the competition with optimism.
“After this attack [on Iran], we cannot be expected to look forward to the World Cup with hope. If the World Cup is like this, who in their right mind would send their national team to a place like this?” Taj said on Iranian state television.
