Iran cannot participate in the FIFA World Cup, sports minister says

Al JazeeraCenterEN 2 min read 100% complete by Al Jazeera StaffMarch 11, 2026 at 02:27 PM

AI Summary

short article 2 min

Iran's sports minister, Ahmad Donyamali, has stated that the country will not participate in the FIFA World Cup due to the US and Israeli attacks on its supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The US is co-hosting the tournament with Canada and Mexico, but all of Iran's group-stage fixtures are allocated to American cities. Donyamali cited the "malicious actions" carried out by the US and Israel as a reason for not participating, citing the killing of thousands of Iranian people and the destruction of infrastructure in the region. The attacks began on February 28 and have resulted in over 1,255 deaths and 12,000 injuries. Iran has responded with missile strikes against Israel and military bases in the Middle East where US forces operate. This decision marks the first official statement from an Iranian government official regarding participation in the World Cup since the attacks began.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Seattle 30% Los Angeles 30% Iranian Football Federation 35% Canada 40% Mexico 40% Ahmad Donyamali ×260% Ayatollah Ali Khamenei 70% Israel ×375% FIFA World Cup ×480% United States ×585% Iran ×790%

Keywords

fifa world cup 100% iran 90% boycott 80% us-israeli attacks 80% supreme leader assassination 70% international relations 60% sports 50% military conflict 50% united states 40%