KABUL (Pajhwok): Iran is not in a position to participate in the 2026 FIFA World Cup due to recent attacks by the United States and Israel on the country, Iran’s Minister of Sports and Youth Ahmad Donyamali has announced.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is scheduled to take place from 11 June to 19 July and will be jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.
Iran has been drawn in Group G alongside Belgium, Egypt and New Zealand, with all their matches scheduled to be played in the United States — two in Los Angeles and one in Seattle.
In an interview with IRIB Sports Network on Tuesday, Donyamali said: “Given that this corrupt government has assassinated our leader, under no circumstances do we have the appropriate conditions to participate in the World Cup.”
He added: “An aggressor country is hosting the World Cup, and we expect FIFA to respond to this matter.”
“Our players are not safe and the conditions for participation do not exist.”
Donyamali said that over the past eight or nine months, two wars had been imposed on Iran and several thousand people had been killed.
“Therefore, we definitely do not have the possibility to participate,” he added.
He noted that the tense atmosphere between Tehran and Washington had created serious challenges for Iran’s participation in the tournament.
kk/sa
