Iran’s participation in FIFA World Cup 2026 has been thrown into uncertainty following escalating military conflict involving the United States and Israel.
Iran qualified for the expanded 48-team tournament, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico in June 2026.
They were drawn in Group G alongside Belgium, Egypt and New Zealand, with all three of their scheduled group stage matches set to take place in the United States.
However, growing hostilities have raised questions about whether Iran will ultimately travel to the tournament.
Iranian FA: Participation ‘Unlikely’
Mehdi Taj, president of the Iranian Football Federation, said on Iranian public television that participation now appears doubtful.
“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,” he said.
He also confirmed that Iran’s domestic football league has been suspended until further notice.
FIFA Responds
FIFA has so far stopped short of making any decisions.
Speaking after a meeting in Wales, FIFA general secretary Mattias Grafström said it was too early to comment definitively.
“We had a meeting today and it is premature to comment in detail, but we will monitor developments around all issues around the world,” Grafström said.
“We had the finals draw in Washington in which all teams participated, and our focus is on a safe World Cup with all the teams participating. We will continue to communicate, as we always do, with the three host governments. Everybody will be safe.”
Who Could Replace Iran?
Under FIFA regulations, if a qualified nation withdraws or is unable to fulfil its fixtures and there is sufficient time before the tournament, it may be replaced by an alternate – typically the next-best placed team from the same confederation or the highest-ranked non-qualified team.
Iran qualified through the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), meaning any replacement would likely come from Asia.
Two potential scenarios have emerged:
- United Arab Emirates (UAE): The UAE finished as the highest non-qualifier behind Iran in their qualifying group and also lost in the Asian playoffs. They could be nominated as the next-best eligible team.
- Iraq: Iraq advanced to the inter-confederation playoffs and could theoretically be elevated to the World Cup, with their playoff slot then reassigned – potentially to the UAE.
If time were insufficient to organise a replacement, FIFA could be forced to restructure Group G, although such a scenario would be unprecedented in the modern tournament format.
Tournament Hosts and Political Tensions
The 2026 tournament will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico – marking the first time three nations will co-host a men’s World Cup.
Given that Iran’s group-stage matches are scheduled to take place on US soil, diplomatic and security considerations may ultimately influence the final decision.
For now, FIFA maintains that its focus remains on delivering a safe and fully participated tournament.
Whether Iran will be part of it remains uncertain as the geopolitical situation continues to evolve.
Iran are ranked 20th in the latest FIFA world rankings.
