Iran’s participation in the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup is highly doubtful. The development comes after US and Israeli military strikes on Iran, which also killed the country’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The events have raised questions about Iran’s participation in the tournament, or whether they will be allowed to participate by the US government. The upcoming World Cup is being hosted in the US, Canada and Mexico.
The US government has already banned Iranian nationals from travelling to the United States, with an exemption for sports teams. Meanwhile, according to a report by The Athletic, a FIFA official has claimed that the World Cup plans haven’t changed.
On the other hand, the Iranian football federation’s chief, Mehdi Taj, informed local state media that due to the attack, “we cannot be expected to look forward to the World Cup with hope.” He also informed that “sports chiefs” would make a decision on World Cup participation.
In 2018, a month before US, Canada and Mexico were handed the hosting rights, Donald Trump signed a letter which stated, “I am confident that the United States would host the 2026 FIFA World Cup in a similarly open and festive manner, and that all eligible athletes, officials and fans from all countries around the world would be able to enter the United States without discrimination.”
FIFA Regulations
If Iran withdraws from the World Cup, FIFA is expected to select a replacement team or adjust the tournament accordingly. FIFA Regulation 6.5 states, “If a Participating Member Association withdraws or a match cannot be played or is abandoned as a result of force majeure, the authorised FIFA organising body (including the Tournament Operation Centre) shall decide on the matter at its sole discretion and take whatever action is deemed necessary.”
Meanwhile, Regulation 6.7 states, “If any Participating Member Association withdraws and/or is excluded from the FIFA World Cup 26, FIFA shall decide on the matter at its sole discretion and take whatever action is deemed necessary. FIFA may decide to replace the Participating Member Association in question with another association.”
Possible replacements
Iran qualified for the World Cup by winning Group A in Asia’s third qualifying round. Uzbekistan, which finished second, also bagged an automatic berth. Meanwhile, the third and fourth-placed sides, UAE and Qatar, entered the fourth round, where Qatar got the qualification. The UAE lost a playoff to Iraq, who earned a spot in the intercontinental playoff in Mexico later this month. Iraq will take on either Bolivia or Suriname in the match. If Iraq win, then the UAE will be the next potential replacement for Iran.
