The prospect of Iran playing at this summer’s World Cup appears remote after the country’s sports minister, Ahmad Donyamali, said on Wednesday that “under no circumstances can we participate”.
Donyamali is the first Iranian government representative to address the issue of the World Cup since the US, one of the co-hosts, began bombing the country with backing from Israel 10 days ago.
In the immediate aftermath of the first airstrikes, which killed Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and triggered retaliatory attacks on Israel and neighbouring Gulf states, the president of Iran’s football federation, Mehdi Taj, said “we cannot be expected to look forward to the World Cup with hope”, before clarifying that the matter would be left to government.
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Donyamali told state television: “Considering that this corrupt regime has assassinated our leader, under no circumstances can we participate in the World Cup. 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.”
The timing of Donyamali’s interview appears significant, coming after Gianni Infantino said he had received assurances from Donald Trump that Iran would be welcome at the tournament, which will also be hosted by Mexico and Canada.
Fifa’s president met Trump at the White House on Tuesday. Last week Trump told Politico he did not care whether Iran took part.
Infantino wrote on Instagram that he had discussed “the status of preparations” for the World Cup with the US president.
“We also spoke about the current situation in Iran, and the fact that the Iranian team has qualified to participate in the FIFA World Cup 2026,” Infantino said. “During the discussions, President Trump reiterated 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.”
Iran have been drawn with Belgium, Egypt and New Zealand in the World Cup, with all of their Group G matches scheduled to take place in the US, two in Los Angeles and one in Seattle.
Iran will, under Fifa’s statutes, face disciplinary action if they withdraw unilaterally, with possible sanctions including a ban from future tournaments, an eventuality that looks more likely given Infantino has publicly committed to their involvement. Member associations are not permitted to withdraw from competitions, and declining to take part in a World Cup would be unprecedented in the modern era. No country has pulled out of the tournament after the draw since France and India did not take part in 1950, citing travel costs.
Fifa’s tournament regulations state that withdrawing before the tournament incurs a fine of between €275,000 (£238,000) and €555,000, depending on the date of the withdrawal, and triggers a referral to Fifa’s disciplinary committee, which could impose sporting sanctions.
Iran were the only participant nation missing from a Fifa planning summit for World Cup teams held in Atlanta last week.
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