As the ceasefire between Iran, the United States, and Israel entered its second day - while Israel continues strikes in Lebanon and developments unfold across multiple fronts - a question that dominated the early weeks of the war resurfaces: will Iran's national team participate in the 2026 World Cup as planned?
During the first weeks of the US, Israel-Iran War, Iran's Minister of Sports, Ahmad Donyamali, and the head of the Iranian Football Federation, Mehdi Taj, addressed the issue directly, stating that as long as the war continued, "there is no chance Iran will participate in the tournament" or "play in a country that murdered our president and our citizens."
These statements sparked false reports claiming Iran had officially withdrawn from the World Cup. In reality, Iranian officials were working behind the scenes to convince FIFA to relocate their matches from the United States to Mexico. The proposal was even welcomed by Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, but was ultimately rejected by FIFA following internal discussions.
Trump casts doubt, Infantino reassures
On the other side, U.S. President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that he was unsure whether it would be "safe for Iran's national team players to arrive in the United States" for the World Cup—further fueling speculation that Iran might withdraw.
In an effort to ease tensions, FIFA President Gianni Infantino personally visited Iran's training camp in Antalya, Turkey, during the March international break, where the team played friendlies against Nigeria and Costa Rica.
During the visit, Infantino stated: "FIFA and the entire global football community stand with Iran during this difficult time. FIFA is committed to supporting Iran and will do everything possible to ensure the Iranian national team fulfills its fixtures in the upcoming World Cup and participates as planned."
In the match Infantino attended, Iran's players stood during the national anthem holding photographs of schoolgirls from Minab who were killed in bombing attacks during the early days of the war.
Iran was drawn into Group G alongside Belgium, Egypt, and New Zealand. The team is scheduled to play two matches in Los Angeles—a city with a large Iranian diaspora community expected to turn out in strong support—and a third in Seattle against Egypt. That match was, somewhat ironically, designated in advance as the tournament's "Pride Game," before the competing teams were even known.
The designation has since become a point of contention, with both the Iranian and Egyptian federations requesting its removal, citing "unreasonable branding considerations."
A possible hint
Will Iran participate in the World Cup or not? A possible clue may emerge from next week's AFC Champions League fixtures. Due to the war, the West Region Round of 16 was postponed and consolidated into a centralized knockout tournament set to take place in Saudi Arabia.
Tractor Sazi, the Iranian club from Tabriz, was drawn to face Shabab Al-Ahli Dubai. In recent weeks, the club had requested a venue change on safety grounds, claiming it was "not safe for an Iranian team to travel and play in Saudi Arabia." However, on Saturday evening—following several hours of ceasefire—the club confirmed it would travel to Saudi Arabia as planned.
A club, of course, is not a national team. But given the deep hostility between Iran and its Gulf neighbors, the prospect of an Iranian team playing in Saudi Arabia against an Emirati side once seemed unthinkable. Now, it is happening.
Is this a sign of things to come regarding Iran's World Cup participation? Possibly—but the answer remains far from simple.
From the Iranian federation's perspective, as long as the ceasefire holds, there is no formal obstacle to participating as planned—even accounting for the earlier statements from the sports minister and federation chairman. Moreover, potential sanctions, fines, and lasting damage to Iran's standing within FIFA could prove more harmful to Iranian football than any negative press generated by showing up.
"All teams have confirmed their arrival"
"From FIFA's perspective, there are no changes to the match schedule. All teams have confirmed their participation, and Iran is one of them," a senior FIFA official told BabaGol.
A source within the tournament's organizing committee added: "At this stage, we have received no indication that Iran will not arrive in the United States or set up its base camp in Tucson, Arizona, as planned. Like everyone else, we are monitoring developments around the ceasefire and are in contact with FIFA, the White House, and all relevant parties. The situation is being continuously evaluated, and the halt in fighting naturally creates a different atmosphere."
All efforts to ensure Iran's participation
Throughout the US, Israel-Iran War, football has been deeply affected—at times even serving as a symbolic battleground reflecting the broader tensions between Iran, the United States, and Israel.
From the controversy surrounding Iran's women's team at the AFC Women's Asian Cup in Australia, to the suspension of leagues and tournaments across the Middle East; from the dismissal of national team star Sardar Azmoun after he posted support for Dubai's ruler following Iranian missile strikes on the emirate, to the bombing of the Azadi Sports Complex in Tehran—and even the renaming of a street that once honored Iranian legend Ali Daei, due to his perceived "lack of support for the war effort."
Whether the ceasefire between Iran, the United States, and Israel holds or not, further developments regarding Iran's World Cup participation are expected in the coming days. But as long as the fighting remains paused, it appears that all parties involved will do everything in their power to ensure Iran's national team arrives in the United States and competes at the 2026 World Cup.
With tensions easing, Iran’s 2026 World Cup participation remains uncertain, as FIFA, politics, and regional dynamics collide.