Iran plans to boycott the 2026 World Cup in the USA

The president of the Iranian Football Federation, Mehdi Taj, made a sensational statement on national television, casting doubt on the current format of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Details: According to Marca, following morning airstrikes by the US and Israel on Tehran, the country's football authorities have declared the national team’s participation in the World Cup highly unlikely.

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The situation is further complicated by the draw, which has Iran playing all three group stage matches on US soil: against New Zealand and Belgium in Los Angeles, and against Egypt in Seattle.

“Given what happened today and this attack by the United States, it’s hard to look at the World Cup with any hope,” Mehdi Taj emphasized, adding that the final decision rests with the country’s top sports authority.

The political conflict threatens to create an unprecedented challenge for FIFA. Beyond the group stage, the tournament bracket is set in such a way that Iran and the USA could meet as early as the first round of the knockout stage (the round of 32).

Reminder: The conflict in the Middle East casts doubt on the staging of the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the Finalissima.