Will Iran play at the 2026 World Cup? What happens if they don’t?

Iran national football team are currently scheduled to compete at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico, however rising political tensions have created uncertainty about their participation.

The situation escalated after U.S. President Donald Trump announced joint military operations with Israel against Iran. The conflict has already caused major turmoil, including airstrikes in Tehran that reportedly killed Iranian leader Ali Khamenei, followed by missile and drone attacks from Iran targeting Israel, U.S. bases and Gulf countries.

With the conflict only days old, it remains unclear whether Iran  will take part in the tournament. Iran’s football federation president, Mehdi Taj, admitted he doesn’t know if the team will compete, saying the situation makes it difficult for the country to look forward to the World Cup.

Iran have already qualified for the tournament and are scheduled to play in Group G. Their group matches are set to take place in the United States, including games at SoFi Stadium in California against New Zealand and Belgium, before facing Egypt at Lumen Field in Seattle.

However, several factors could prevent Iran from playing. The country could decide to boycott the tournament for political reasons, withdraw due to safety concerns, or potentially face restrictions from the U.S. government. Although there is a U.S. travel ban affecting Iranian citizens, it includes exemptions for athletes competing in major international events such as the World Cup.

If Iran ultimately withdraw or are unable to compete, FIFA would need to decide how to adjust the tournament. One option would be to turn Group G into a three-team group, although this would reduce the number of matches and could complicate broadcasting agreements. A more likely solution would be to replace Iran with another team.

Finding a replacement wouldn’t be straightforward. In Asian qualification, Iran finished top of their group to secure automatic qualification. If a replacement is needed, teams such as Iraq or United Arab Emirates could potentially move into the tournament depending on results in the inter-confederation playoffs.

The 2026 World Cup is scheduled to kick off on June 11 with the opening match between Mexico and South Africa at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. For now, Iran’s participation remains uncertain as the political situation continues to develop.