Iran pulls out of 2026 FIFA World Cup amid war with US-Israel

The decision comes after a joint US-Israel strike on Tehran killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, triggering escalating military exchanges between the two sides.

“Given that this corrupt government has assassinated our leader, under no circumstances do we have the appropriate conditions to participate in the World Cup,” Donyamali told Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) Sports Network, according to BBC News.

“Our boys are not safe, and conditions for participation do not exist,” he added.

Donyamali said that Iran has endured months of conflict. “Over the past eight or nine months, two wars have been imposed on us and several thousand of our people have been killed and martyred. Therefore, we definitely do not have the possibility for participation,” he said.

The announcement comes after Gianni Infantino, president of FIFA, met US President Donald Trump and discussed the tournament and Iran’s participation.

Infantino later said Trump had indicated that the Iranian team would be welcome in the United States for the competition.

“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. 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.

The Iran national football team had qualified for the tournament, which will be hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, starting June 11.

Iran were scheduled to play New Zealand national football team and Belgium national football team in Los Angeles on June 15 and 21 respectively, before facing the Egypt national football team in Seattle on June 26.

Meanwhile, Australia has granted asylum to five Iranian women footballers on humanitarian grounds after concerns emerged over their safety if they returned to Iran.

Trump had urged the Albanese government to grant asylum to the players, saying the United States would offer asylum if Australia did not.

The players—Fatemeh Pasandideh, Zahra Ghanbari, Zahra Sarbali, Atefeh Ramazanzadeh and Mona Hamoudi—had refused to sing Iran’s national anthem before their AFC Women’s Asian Cup match against South Korea women's national football team last week.

The silent protest at Cbus Super Stadium came amid political turmoil in Iran following reports of Khamenei’s death in the US-Israel strike.