Iran's Sports Minister Ahmad Donyamali has announced on state television that Iran will not participate in the FIFA tournament, calling the United States a "corrupt" regime. Iran are currently grouped with Belgium, Egypt and New Zealand.
Speaking about the U.S., Donyamali said "considering that this corrupt regime has assassinated our leader, under no circumstances can we participate in the World Cup".
"Given the malicious actions they have carried out against Iran, they have forced two wars on us over eight or nine months and have killed and martyred thousands of our people. Therefore, we certainly cannot have such a presence. Our children are not safe and, fundamentally, such conditions for participation do not exist," he added.
Iran's U.N. ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani has said more than 1,300 Iranian civilians have been killed since the U.S. and Israeli airstrikes began on 28th February 2026.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has previously met U.S. President Donald Trump who told him he welcomed Iran to be in the World Cup. A source close to the decision-makers in Iran said it was also not possible for Iran to do warm-up games because of the war.
Infantino continued: "During the discussions, President Trump reiterated that the Iranian team is, of course, welcome to compete in the tournament in the United States".
Iran had picked the Kino Sports Complex in Tucson in Arizona to train in and pick as the base camp.
Pulling out potentially changes the schedule of the countries playing as they were originally grouped in Group G along with Belgium, Egypt and New Zealand. Iran didn't attend the FIFA World Cup planning summit last week in Atlanta, Georgia.
The World Cup will be held in the U.S., Mexico and Canada from 11th June - 19th July.
Iran temporarily reopened the Strait of Hormuz on Friday (17 April) following a ceasefire agreement in Lebanon, ra...
Australia and Japan signed contracts on Saturday (18 April) launching their landmark A$10 billion ($7 billion) dea...
Global shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has shown signs of partial recovery after Iran announced it was open to commercial vessels during a li...
Iran reopened the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping on Friday (17 April) for the first time since the U.S. and Israel killed Iran's ex-Su...
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa has said his country could provide a “safe corridor” and “alternative route” for regional ...
The 2026 World Cup final is setting new records for sports ticketing costs, characterised by unprecedented price hikes and the debut of controversial sales models.
The U.S. will invest $115 million in counter-drone measures to bolster security around the FIFA World Cup and America’s 250th Anniversary celebrations, the Department of Homeland Security said on Monday.
FIFA has introduced a new “more affordable” ticket category for the 2026 World Cup, priced at $60 (£45) for all 104 matches in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, according to agencies.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 6th of December, covering the latest developments you need to know.
The past 24 hours of the Russia-Ukraine war have seen a drastic escalation in both aerial bombardment and frontline losses.
Iran reopened the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping on Friday (17 April) for the first time since the U.S. and Israel killed Iran's ex-Supreme Leader in air strikes, triggering the Middle East conflict, at the end of February. A U.S. blockade on Iranian ports, however, remains in force.
Russia published addresses of manufacturers allegedly producing drones or components for Ukraine on Wednesday (15 April), warning European countries against plans to step up UAV supplies to Kyiv.
Netflix shares fell sharply on Friday after the streaming group issued a weaker-than-expected outlook and said chairman and co-founder Reed Hastings will step down from the board.
U.S. President Donald Trump says Israeli and Lebanese leaders have agreed to a 10-day ceasefire that includes Hezbollah, raising cautious hopes of a pause in hostilities after weeks of escalating tensions.
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa has said his country could provide a “safe corridor” and “alternative route” for regional energy shipments, as supply disruptions continue to affect the wider Middle East.
An average of at least 47 women and girls were killed each day during the war in Gaza, according to new figures released by UN Women.
China is seeking to strengthen and upgrade its cooperation with Turkmenistan, focusing on what officials describe as “high-quality development” across a range of sectors.
Kazakhstan plans to boost trade with Afghanistan from $500 million to $3 billion, backed by infrastructure and transit projects designed to strengthen regional connectivity and improve access to global markets.
A low-profile diplomatic visit to Tbilisi may prove more consequential than it first appears, as representatives of France, Germany and Poland meet figures across Georgia’s political spectrum, signalling that Brussels is watching closely ahead of a key EU foreign ministers’ meeting.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment