Iran has indicated that its national football team may not participate in the FIFA World Cup 2026 due to the ongoing conflict in West Asia following the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader. The tournament is scheduled to be hosted jointly by the United States, Mexico and Canada.

Iran’s sports minister Ahmad Donyamali said the current situation does not allow the country’s men’s national football team to take part in the global tournament. The remarks come amid escalating tensions in the region after the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Speaking in a television interview with the German news agency DPA, Donyamali said the circumstances surrounding the conflict make participation in the tournament impossible. He criticised the situation following the killing of the Iranian leader and said the country had been forced into repeated conflicts in recent months.

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The minister added that Iran has faced two wars within a short period and that thousands of citizens have been killed during the fighting. Under such conditions, he said, the government does not see a realistic possibility for the national team to compete in the tournament scheduled from June 11 to July 18 next year.The comments highlight the wider impact of the conflict on international sporting participation, raising uncertainty over Iran’s involvement in one of the world’s biggest football tournaments organised by FIFA.

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