Iran Football Federation Casts Doubt on World Cup After US-Assisted Strikes

Iranian officials say they 'cannot be expected to look forward to the World Cup with hope' following the attacks on their country.

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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Iran's football federation president Mehdi Taj expressed a dim outlook on the country's participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which is set to be held in the U.S., Mexico and Canada. Taj cited the recent U.S.-assisted strikes on Iran conducted by Israel as the reason for the federation's concerns, stating that 'the US regime has attacked our homeland, and this is an incident that will not go unanswered.' Iran's national team also won't be preparing for the World Cup due to a 40-day mourning period following the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Why it matters

Iran's participation in the 2026 World Cup has become uncertain following the escalating tensions and military strikes between Iran, Israel and the U.S. This could have significant implications for the tournament, as Iran was one of the qualified teams. The situation also highlights the broader geopolitical tensions in the region and the potential for sports events to be impacted by international conflicts.

The details

Iran qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and was set to face New Zealand in their opening Group G match on June 15 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. However, Iranian football federation president Mehdi Taj expressed a dim outlook on the country's participation, stating 'What is certain is that after this attack, we cannot be expected to look forward to the World Cup with hope.' Taj cited the recent U.S.-assisted strikes on Iran conducted by Israel as the reason for the federation's concerns. Iran has responded to the attacks by firing missiles and drones at Israel and other regional countries hosting U.S. allies or military bases.

  • Iran qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
  • Iran's national team was set to face New Zealand on June 15, 2026 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
  • The recent U.S.-assisted strikes on Iran were conducted by Israel on March 2, 2026.

The players

Mehdi Taj

The president of the Iranian football federation.

Andrew Guiliani

The director of the White House World Cup task force.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei

The Supreme Leader of Iran who recently passed away, leading to a 40-day mourning period in the country.

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What they’re saying

“What is certain is that after this attack, we cannot be expected to look forward to the World Cup with hope.”

— Mehdi Taj, President, Iranian football federation (Varzesh3)

“We'll deal with soccer games tomorrow—tonight, we celebrate their opportunity for freedom.”

— Andrew Guiliani, Director, White House World Cup task force (X)

What’s next

FIFA noted it will be monitoring the situation with Iran's participation in the 2026 World Cup. If Iran does participate, athletes, officials and family members will be considered an exception to enter the U.S., which has previously banned Iranian citizens from entering the country.

The takeaway

The escalating tensions between Iran, Israel and the U.S. have cast uncertainty over Iran's participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, highlighting how geopolitical conflicts can impact major sporting events. This situation underscores the complex challenges organizers may face in ensuring the tournament proceeds smoothly amid ongoing regional tensions.