As the 2026 FIFA World Cup approaches in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, the world is currently experiencing numerous tragic events. Amidst cartel violence in Mexico, the Middle East is also suffering due to the ongoing conflicts involving the USA, Israel, and Iran.
As Iran retaliated following the USA and Israel's attack on their state, it has now shared its statement on their FIFA World Cup 2026 participation. Iranian Sports Minister Ahmad Doyanmali, in an interview with DPA news agency, ruled out the chances of Iran's participation [translation provided by MARCA].
“Two wars have been imposed on us in eight or nine months, and several thousand of our citizens have been killed. Therefore, we have no chance to participate in this way,” Doyanmali said. “If the host country were another, surely the international community would have reacted and would have withdrawn the venue.”
However, Iran's statement comes hours after US President Donald Trump shared his willingness to invite Iran to the USA for the upcoming FIFA World Cup. FIFA President Gianni Infantino recently shared a statement on social media, where he recalled Trump's thoughts.
“This evening, I met with the President of the [USA flag emoji] United States, Donald J. Trump to discuss the status of preparations for the upcoming FIFA World Cup, and the growing excitement as we are set to kick off in just 93 days. 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.
