Tehran: Iran’s Sports Minister Ahmad Donyamali said on Wednesday that the country may not participate in the 2026 FIFA World Cup following the alleged killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei by the United States, according to a report by Al Jazeera citing Reuters.
Speaking on state television, Donyamali said Iran could not take part in the tournament under the current circumstances. “Considering that this corrupt regime [the United States] has assassinated our leader, we cannot participate in the World Cup under any circumstances,” he said.
The latest phase of conflict involving Iran, Israel and the United States reportedly began on February 28, disrupting global energy supply chains and raising tensions across West Asia.
Donyamali said the situation was not suitable for participation in an international sporting event. He added that many Iranians had lost their lives in the conflict and that the safety of citizens remained a major concern.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. Iran’s group-stage matches were scheduled to be held in the US cities of Los Angeles and Seattle.
Donyamali’s statement came after Gianni Infantino said in a social media post that Donald Trump would welcome the Iranian team if it travelled to the United States for the tournament.
Meanwhile, Mehdi Taj, head of the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran (FFIRI), also questioned how any country could send its national team to compete under such circumstances.
