Iran withdraws from 2026 World Cup following assassination of Supreme Leader

Iran has officially withdrawn from the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the wake of the US-led airstrike that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the country’s sports minister announced on Wednesday.

Ahmad Donyamali confirmed the Islamic Republic’s decision to state television, citing the assassination of its leader nearly two weeks ago as making participation impossible.

“Considering that this corrupt regime [the US] has assassinated our leader, under no circumstances can we participate in the World Cup,” Donyamali said. “Our children are not safe and, fundamentally, such conditions for participation do not exist.”

The United States and Israel launched coordinated airstrikes on Iran approximately two weeks ago, killing the 87-year-old supreme leader who had held power since 1989. The strikes have since escalated into a broader regional conflict across the Gulf.

“Given the malicious actions they have carried out against Iran, they have forced two wars on us over eight or nine months and have killed and martyred thousands of our people,” Donyamali added. “Therefore, we certainly cannot have such a presence.”

The withdrawal announcement contradicts recent assurances from FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who reported that former US President Donald Trump had extended a welcome to the Iranian team during discussions about tournament preparations.

Infantino stated on Instagram that during a meeting with Trump, “we also spoke about the current situation in Iran. During the discussions, President Trump reiterated that the Iranian team is, of course, welcome to compete in the tournament in the United States.”

However, Trump’s position appeared inconsistent, having told reporters last week that he “really don’t care” whether Iran participates in the 48-nation tournament being co-hosted by the US, Canada, and Mexico.

Iran was scheduled to open its campaign against New Zealand in Inglewood, California, followed by group matches against Belgium and Egypt in Seattle. A potential Round of 16 meeting with the United States had been slated for 3 July in Dallas had both teams finished second in their respective groups.

Under FIFA’s World Cup regulations, any team withdrawing “no later than 30 days before the first match” faces a minimum fine of 250,000 Swiss francs (£239,000) from the FIFA disciplinary committee. The governing body’s rules also warn that “disciplinary sanctions may include the expulsion of the participating member association concerned from subsequent FIFA competitions and/or the replacement of the participating member association with another member association.”

The timing of Iran’s withdrawal, coming just months before the tournament’s June opening, presents significant logistical and scheduling challenges for FIFA as it seeks to maintain the competition’s format.