The Iranian football team was the first national team to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup scheduled for this summer. They may also become the first team to be eliminated, via withdrawal, depending on whether they decide to play in the tournament...which was left in doubt after a war of words last week.
Iran’s Minister of Sports and Youth Ahmad Donyamali appeared to rule out any chance of the Iranian national team competing in the World Cup. "Since this corrupt government assassinated our leader, we have no conditions under which we can participate in the World Cup," he said in an interview on the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting on March 11.
"In view of the malicious measures taken against Iran, two wars were forced upon us within eight or nine months, and several thousand of our people were killed. Therefore, we definitely have no possibility of participating in this way," he concluded, referring to the current Israel-US war on Iran and last year’s 12 Day War.
Hours later, whether as a coincidence or as a response to Donyamali, FIFA God-Emperor Gianni Harkonnen Infantinotried to clear the air on the matter, and publicly stated that he had President Donald Trump’s assurances “that the Iranian team is, of course, welcome to compete in the tournament in the United States.”
“We all need an event like the FIFA World Cup to bring people together now more than ever, and I sincerely thank the President of the United States for his support, as it shows once again that Football Unites the World,” he added without a hint of irony.
Things would’ve been fine had they ended at that point, but of course that is not where they ended.
Two days later, Trump posted on his Truth Social account, saying “The Iran National Soccer Team is welcome to The World Cup, but I really don’t believe it is appropriate that they be there, for their own life and safety.”
This time, the national team, and not a sports minister, responded via a published statement on their official Instagram.
"The World Cup is a historic and international event and its governing body is FIFA -- not any individual country. Iran's national team, with strength and a series of decisive victories achieved by the brave sons of Iran, was among the first teams to qualify for this major tournament," said the team with a statement shared on stories.
"Certainly no one can exclude Iran's national team from the World Cup. The only country that could be excluded is one that merely carries the title of ‘host’ yet lacks the ability to provide security for the teams participating in this global event.”
Lots of back-and-forth, but no direct answer to the question: are they or are they not playing in the World Cup?
There are currently no reports of anyone from the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran, the country’s official football-governing body, following up with FIFA to file a formal withdrawal. Plus, the national team hasn’t cancelled a pair of friendly games later this month against Nigeria and Costa Rica in Turkey. Those games are part of their preparations for this summer’s tournament.
So the answer, at least for now, is yes, Iran will compete in the tournament (for now).
