WANA (Mar 11) – Iran’s Minister of Sports and Youth said the country’s national football team cannot safely participate in the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States due to security concerns.

 

Ahmad Donyamali stated that the current security situation makes it impossible for Iran’s national team to travel to the United States for the tournament, which will be hosted jointly by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

 

Speaking about the issue, Donyamali said that recent attacks attributed to the United States and Israel against Iran have created conditions in which Iranian players would not feel safe traveling to the U.S. for the competition.

 

“Because there is no security, the presence of Iran’s national team in the World Cup in the United States is impossible,” he said.

 

The minister added that Iran cannot consider participation under the current circumstances, arguing that hostile actions against the country have escalated tensions in recent months.

 

Donyamali also emphasized Washington’s measures against Iran and said that two wars had effectively been imposed on the country within the past nine months, leading to casualties among Iranian citizens.

 

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be held from June 11 to July 19, 2026. The tournament will be jointly hosted across 16 cities in North America, including 11 cities in the United States, three in Mexico, and two in Canada. This will mark the first time the World Cup is hosted by three countries.

 

Iran’s National Team Match Schedule for the 23rd Edition of the World Cup:

  • Iran vs. New Zealand: June 16; 04:30; Los Angeles, USA
  • Belgium vs. Iran: June 11; 22:30; Los Angeles, USA
  • Egypt vs. Iran: June 27; 06:30; Seattle, USA