Iran's football federation president has cast serious doubt on the national team's 2026 World Cup participation following US and Israeli strikes that US President Donald Trump announced killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. With all group matches in the US, tensions escalate risks; FIFA continues monitoring.
In a significant escalation reported on March 1, 2026, US President Donald Trump announced that recent US and Israeli strikes on Iran resulted in the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. This follows initial airstrikes on February 28 that prompted Iranian retaliation and drew FIFA's attention, as covered previously.
Iranian Football Federation president Mehdi Taj told Marca, "With what happened today and with that attack by the United States, it is unlikely that we can look forward to the World Cup, but the sports chiefs are the ones who must decide on that." Iran's Group G matches—against New Zealand (June 15, Los Angeles), Belgium (June 21, Los Angeles), and Egypt (June 26, Seattle)—are all in the US, amplifying security concerns.
FIFA general secretary Mattias Grafstrom reiterated monitoring efforts, emphasizing a safe tournament for all teams. Iran's domestic league remains suspended indefinitely, hindering preparations. If Iran withdraws, replacements could include the UAE or Iraq per FIFA rules.
White House World Cup taskforce head Andrew Giuliani posted on social media: "we’ll deal with soccer games tomorrow - tonight, we celebrate their opportunity for freedom." No final decisions have been reached amid broader geopolitical strains on the US-Canada-Mexico hosted event.
