Iran's World Cup Participation in Doubt After Military Strikes

Iran's football federation says team's World Cup involvement is "unlikely" following attacks by U.S. and Israel.

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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Iran's participation at the 2026 World Cup has been thrown into doubt following the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei after military strikes by the United States and Israel. Iran retaliated with strikes against Israel, while explosions were reported in neighboring nations including Qatar, which suspended all sport on Sunday. There are now suggestions that Iran will not take part in the World Cup in Canada, Mexico and USA later this year.

Why it matters

Iran's withdrawal from the World Cup would be a significant development, as they were set to compete in Group G alongside Belgium, Egypt and New Zealand. The geopolitical tensions and military escalation in the region have serious implications for the global sporting event.

The details

According to reports, Iran's football federation president Mehdi Taj said the country's participation in the World Cup is "unlikely" following the attacks. FIFA has stated it will monitor the situation and continue to communicate with the host governments to ensure a safe tournament with all teams participating.

  • On March 1, Iranian state media reported that Iran had withdrawn from the 2026 World Cup.
  • On February 28, FIFA secretary general Mattias Grafstrom said it was premature to comment in detail but the governing body would monitor developments.

The players

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei

The Supreme Leader of Iran who died as a result of the military strikes.

Donald Trump

The President of the United States who described the attacks as "major combat operations".

Mehdi Taj

The president of Iran's football federation who said Iran's World Cup participation is "unlikely".

Mattias Grafstrom

The FIFA secretary general who said the governing body would monitor the situation.

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What they’re saying

“With what happened today and with that attack by the United States, it is unlikely that we can look forward to the World Cup, but the sports chiefs are the ones who must decide on that.”

— Mehdi Taj, President, Iran Football Federation (Iranian state media)

“We had a meeting today and it is premature to comment in detail, but we will monitor developments around all issues around the world.”

— Mattias Grafstrom, FIFA Secretary General (International Football Association Board)

What’s next

FIFA has stated it will continue to communicate with the host governments to ensure a safe World Cup with all teams participating. The governing body will monitor the situation in Iran and make a decision on their participation in the coming weeks.

The takeaway

The military escalation between the U.S., Israel and Iran has put Iran's participation in the 2026 World Cup in serious jeopardy, raising concerns about the global sporting event's security and political implications.