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Minister rules out Iran playing at World Cup in US
AP • March 12th, 2026 6:00 am
Iran's sports minister has ruled out the men's national team playing at the World Cup in the US | Photo: EPA
Iran sports minister Ahmad Donyamali has ruled out the men's national team playing at this year's World Cup in the United States owing to the ongoing war.
The US and Israel have been conducting air strikes on Iran since February 28, during which Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed.
"Since this corrupt government assassinated our leader, we have no conditions under which we can participate in the World Cup," Donyamali said in a television interview.
FIFA boss Gianni Infantino has met with Donald Trump to discuss preparations for the World Cup | Photo: AP
"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."
Iran qualified for the June 11-July 18 World Cup in the US, Mexico and Canada. They are due to play their three group matches against Belgium, Egypt and New Zealand in US cities.
Iran Football Federation president Mehdi Taj has also hinted at a boycott after events around the women's team at the Asian Cup in Australia.
Six players decided to stay in Australia after being given humanitarian visas by the government there. US President Donald Trump had said they would offer such visas if the Australians didn't.
"What sensible person would send their national team to the United States if the World Cup were to be as political as it was in Australia?" Taj said.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino said on Instagram that he was told by Trump in a meeting on Tuesday that Iran's team "is, of course, welcome to compete in the tournament in the United States" despite the war.
Fans from Iran were already banned from entering the US in the first iteration of the travel ban announced by the Trump administration.
"We all need an event like the FIFA World Cup to bring people together now more than ever," Infantino said, adding that he thanks Trump "for his support".
Chief operating officer Heimo Schirgi says the World Cup is "too big" to be postponed | Photo: AP
Earlier this week, FIFA's World Cup chief operating officer Heimo Schirgi said the tournament was "too big" to be postponed because of global turmoil caused by the US and Israeli war against Iran.
He said FIFA continues to closely monitor the Iran war.
"We basically take it day by day, and at some stage we will have a resolution," Schirgi said.
"And the World Cup will go on obviously, right? The World Cup is too big and we hope that everyone can participate that has qualified."
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