LOS ANGELES, March 2 – Iran’s place at the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada has been thrown into doubt after U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran prompted the country’s soccer federation to say it cannot look ahead with hope, according to Reuters and the Associated Press.
Federation president Mehdi Taj stopped short of calling for a boycott but said officials would evaluate the situation before deciding any next steps, as reported by Reuters.
Group schedule and hosts
Iran was drawn into Group G and is scheduled to play New Zealand on June 15 and Belgium on June 21 in Inglewood, California, before closing group play against Egypt in Seattle on June 26, according to the AP and PBS NewsHour.
The tournament runs June 11 to July 19 and is being co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, details outlined by PBS NewsHour.
What happens if Iran withdraws
In the modern era, no team that has already qualified has skipped the finals; the closest comparison came in 1992 when Yugoslavia was suspended and Denmark replaced it, a precedent noted by Reuters.
Reuters also said Asian Football Confederation contenders such as the United Arab Emirates or Iraq could be in line to replace Iran if it pulled out, while CBC Sports reported that FIFA has not outlined any contingency plan so far.
Fans and travel questions
Iranian fans were already barred from entering the United States under the first iteration of the Trump administration’s travel ban, a point highlighted by PBS.
Iran secured qualification by topping Group A in the third round of Asian qualifying, with all three of its World Cup group matches scheduled on U.S. soil, per Reuters.
FIFA’s regulations allow it to replace a team that withdraws or is excluded, but the governing body has not indicated whether it expects Iran to travel to North America this summer, according to ESPN.
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Image: Aerial view of SoFi Stadium (July 2022)
Credit: Benoit Prieur
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