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Iran’s government has said the national football team will not participate in the 2026 FIFA World Cup following the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in US‑Israeli airstrikes and the outbreak of a broader armed conflict in the Middle East.
Sports Minister Ahmad Donyamali told state television yesterday that “under no circumstances can we participate in the World Cup” in the United States, Mexico and Canada, accusing the United States of assassinating Iran’s leader and creating unacceptable conditions for the team’s involvement.
He said the US and Israel had forced multiple wars on Iran, resulting in thousands of casualties, and that the national team could not be sent to compete in what Tehran described as an unsafe environment.
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Iran was the first team to qualify for the expanded 48‑nation tournament, but all of its Group G matches—including fixtures scheduled in Los Angeles and Seattle—are set to be played on US soil.
Despite Iran’s announcement, FIFA President Gianni Infantino said he had discussed the situation with US President Donald Trump, who reiterated that the Iranian team is welcome to compete in the tournament.
Infantino described football as a unifying force and emphasised the World Cup’s importance amid global tensions, although Tehran’s stance suggests the political and security environment remains a barrier to participation.
Iran’s withdrawal leaves a potential vacancy in Group G.
FIFA has not yet confirmed how it will proceed, but replacement teams or sanctions are possible if Iran’s absence is formalised.
Iranian security chief Ali Larijani said Thursday that his country would not give up fighting until the United States came to regret the “grave miscalculation” of launching its war against the Islamic republic.
US President Donald “Trump says he is looking for a speedy victory. While starting a war is easy, it cannot be won with a few tweets. We will not relent until making you sorry for this grave miscalculation,” Larijani said on X.
Mojtaba Khamenei, Iranian supreme leader, says his country will continue to close the Strait of Hormuz to pressure Iran’s enemies.
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Khamenei spoke on Thursday in a recorded speech — his first address since succeeding his father as the country’s leader on Sunday.
On March 2, a commander in Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said the strait was “closed” and that any vessel attempting to pass through the waterway would be set “ablaze”.
Major container shipping lines suspended sailings through the strait and the Suez Canal over the escalating security risks.
At least five tankers have been damaged, two personnel killed, and about 150 ships stranded around the strait, which separates Iran and Oman.
Crude oil prices have since crossed $100 per barrel on Monday — the highest level since July 2022.
On Wednesday, Ebrahim Zolfaqari, spokesperson for Tehran’s Khatam al-Anbiya military command headquarters, said oil price will reach $200 a barrel.
He said Iran would not allow “a single litre of oil” to pass through the Strait of Hormuz for the benefit of the US, Israel, and their allies.
Donald Trump, the US president, has warned that “death, fire, and fury will reign upon them (Iran)” if they stopped the flow of oil within the passage.
Khamenei reiterated Iran’s stance in his statement.
The supreme leader added that Iran seeks good relations with its neighbouring countries but noted that all US military bases should be immediately closed in the region, or they will continue to be attacked.
He said Iran will continue fighting to avenge “the blood of our martyrs” and thanked the military for making sacrifices.
