Iran pulls out FIFA World Cup 2026 in US, 'under no circumstances we can participate': Sports Minister

Iran has officially pulled out of the upcoming FIFA World Cup that will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico amid war with US and Israel. The country's sports minister Ahmad Donyamali confirmed the development while speaking to the state television today.

"Considering that this corrupt ⁠regime [the US] has ⁠assassinated our leader, under no circumstances ⁠can we ⁠participate in ⁠the World Cup," he said. Iran has been grouped with Belgium, Egypt and New Zealand in Group G of the FIFA World Cup and all of their group stage fixtures are set to be played in Los Angeles and Seattle. 

Iran's war with US and Israel began on February 28, and has already killed more than 1200 people and wounded more than 10000 in the first 12 days. Opening up on the same, Donyamali stated that Iran cannot participate in the World Cup after such intense actions against the country by US. "Our children are not safe and, fundamentally, such conditions for participation do not exist.

"Given the malicious actions ⁠they have carried out against Iran, ⁠they have forced two wars on us over eight or nine months and have killed and martyred thousands of our people. Therefore, we ⁠certainly cannot have such a presence," he said. This is the first time an



official from Iran's government has spoken on the country's participation in the FIFA World Cup since the war began. The head of the Iranian Football Federation had earlier cast doubt on the team's participation last week but had stopped short of saying that they would boycott the tournament.

"After this attack [on Iran], we cannot be expected to look forward to the World Cup with hope. If the World Cup is like this, who in their right mind would send their national team to a place like this?" Mehdi Taj, president of the Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran (FFIRI), said on March 1.

Earlier, FIFA President Gianni Infantino ‌had said that Iran's football team would be welcomed by US President Donald Trump for the FIFA World Cup. He had met Trump to discuss the preparations for the World Cup amid the ongoing war in the Middle East.

"During a meeting to discuss preparations for the competition, “we also spoke about the current situation in Iran. During the discussions, President Trump reiterated that the Iranian team is, of course, welcome to compete in the tournament in the United States," Infantino wrote on Instagram. Notably, Iran was the first country to secure qualification for the FIFA World Cup that is scheduled to run from June 11 to July 19.