Iran World Cup 2026: Participation in Doubt After US-Israel Strikes

The president of Iran’s soccer federation, Mehdi Taj, stated he is uncertain whether the national team will be able to compete in World Cup matches scheduled to be held in the United States, following the U.S. And Israeli bombardment of Iran. “What is certain is that after this attack, we cannot be expected to look forward to the World Cup with hope,” Taj told sports portal Varzesh3 as Iran engaged in retaliatory strikes against Israel, escalating a conflict triggered by the initial bombardment.

The U.S.-Israeli strikes against Iran continued for a second day Sunday, following the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, an event that has thrown the future of the Islamic Republic into question and heightened concerns about regional instability. According to CNN, the conflict began with a U.S.-Israeli military operation against Iran on March 1, 2026.

Iran was drawn into Group G for the World Cup and had been scheduled to play Latest Zealand in Inglewood, California, on June 15, Belgium in Inglewood on June 21 and Egypt in Seattle on June 26. The United States is co-hosting the tournament with Canada and Mexico, from June 11 to July 19.

The possibility of Iran’s participation is further complicated by existing travel restrictions. Fans from Iran were previously barred from entering the U.S. Under the travel ban initially enacted by the Trump administration. Trump has since stated that “there will likely be more” U.S. Deaths as Iran’s strikes continue, and that Iran’s attacks will continue until “all” of its goals are achieved, according to the BBC.

FIFA has not yet responded to inquiries from the Associated Press regarding the current situation and Iran’s potential participation in the World Cup.

As of Sunday, the conflict was continuing, with explosions reported across the Middle East, according to CNN. Al Jazeera reported that U.S. Jets have crashed during the conflict, and that Iran has ruled out any possibility of talks with the Trump administration, while continuing to target energy sites.