The current situation in Iran is dire in every sense, but addressing the soccer sector, its national team is at risk of not being able to participate in the 2026 World Cup, which would present various changes in Group G and the World Cup in general.
The Iranian national team is considering withdrawing from the tournament following increased military tensions in the Middle East, forcing FIFA to intervene.
Will Iran participate in the 2026 World Cup?
In principle, yes. Iran’s national team has its place assured in the next World Cup. Football-wise, they had secured their qualification after dominating the Asian qualifiers with a resounding campaign of seven wins, two draws and only one defeat.
However, recent statements by the president of the Iranian Football Federation, Mehdi Taj, have cast doubt on their participation as he publicly acknowledged that the country is considering not participating in the World Cup.
The official explained that it is difficult to think about the tournament normally at the moment following the recent military attacks on Iranian territory.
With what happened today and with the attack by the United States, it is unlikely that we can look forward to the World Cup with hope, but the sports bosses are the ones who must decide on that
What if Iran officially withdraws from the 2026 World Cup?
The FIFA regulations provide for scenarios of abandonment before the start of the tournament.
If the Iranian federation confirms its absence, the body would have wide-ranging powers:
- Replace Iran with another team
- Change venues or match schedule
- Impose fines of up to 500,000 Swiss francs
- Demand the return of preparation funds
- Even excluding the country from future international competitions
FIFA deputy general secretary Mattias Grafstrom called for calm amid the speculation and stressed that the goal remains to ensure a safe World Cup for all teams.
How would Group G of the 2026 World Cup be affected?
Iran is scheduled to make its debut on June 15 against New Zealand in Los Angeles. It will then face Belgium and Egypt in the group stage.
An eventual exit would force the group to be completely reorganized and could modify future pairings, including possible knockout clashes.
If the resignation is confirmed, the most likely replacement will come from the Asian Confederation to maintain the allocated places and two teams emerge as the main options:
- United Arab Emirates national football team: finished third in their qualifying group and could move up the rankings.
- Iraq national football team: eliminated the UAE in the Asian playoff and will play an intercontinental playoff, which strengthens its sporting argument.
But the final decision is expected to depend exclusively on FIFA and sporting and administrative criteria.
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