Iran does not rule out pulling out of 2026 World Cup as 'spiteful' US launches aggression
Iran’s football chief says the country will reassess its participation in the 2026 World Cup as US-led aggression continues, warning the tournament is set to be hosted by a “spiteful” government.
Mahdi Taj has said on Wednesday Iran does not have a “positive view” of the 2026 FIFA World Cup under current conditions and will wait to see how circumstances unfold, amid ongoing US-Israeli aggression against Iran.
“The World Cup will be held in a country that is spiteful,” Taj said. “We must see how conditions develop.”
His remarks come as Iran grapples with the aftermath of a coordinated criminal attacks by Washington and Tel Aviv.
According to Iranian authorities, the regimes in Washington and Tel Aviv launched their aggression on Saturday morning, assassinating Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei. At least 1,045 Iranians have reportedly been killed in subsequent air raids.
Iran has responded with missile and drone strikes targeting Israeli-occupied territories and US assets across the region, saying the retaliation is swift and lawful under its right to self-defense.
Taj linked the national mood directly to the sporting arena.
“Our children in a school in Minab were killed by the most malicious individuals,” he said, referring to an US-Israeli attack which claimed lives of scores of innocent children.
“America is creating events one after another that have rarely occurred in history—attacks on schools, hospitals and more. This is against the international community,” Taj said.
“We do not have a good view of the World Cup, but we will wait to see what conditions will be,” he said.
Iran’s national football team secured qualification for the 2026 tournament earlier this year, becoming one of the first Asian sides to book its ticket. The expanded competition will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, with the majority of matches scheduled to be played in the US.
Meanwhile, the war has already disrupted football logistics.
Taj confirmed that Iran’s March friendlies schedueled to be held in the region have been canceled.
“The March matches in West Asia region have been canceled,” he said. “We must see what conditions will arise in the future for our friendlies with the national teams of Nigeria and Costa Rica.”
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