Iran has announced its withdrawal from the 2026 FIFA World Cup, becoming the first country to pull out of the tournament.
The country’s Sports Minister, Ahmad Donyamali, confirmed that Iran will not participate in the competition scheduled for this summer.
Donyamali said the decision followed recent attacks by the United States and Israel, which reportedly led to the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
According to him, the escalating conflict has drawn in several countries across the Middle East, with Iran responding by launching attacks on US military bases in the region.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico between June and July.
Iran had been scheduled to face New Zealand and Belgium in Los Angeles on June 15 and 21, respectively, before taking on Egypt in Seattle on June 26.
However, Donyamali insisted that Iran will not travel to the United States for the tournament, stressing that there is “no possibility” the national team will participate.
“Since this corrupt government assassinated our leader, we have no conditions under which we can participate in the World Cup,” he said during a television interview.
