Iranian players line up ahead of a match against North Korea at Tehran’s Azadi Stadium on June 10, 2025. Iran’s sports minister says there is no way his country’s soccer team will qualify for this summer’s FIFA World Cup in North America.
Ahmad Donyamali spoke in an interview on state television about the situation following the joint US-Israeli attack on his Middle Eastern country.
“Considering that a corrupt regime assassinated our leader, we cannot participate in the World Cup under any circumstances. Our children are not safe and the conditions for such participation fundamentally do not exist,” he said, according to CBS Sports. “Considering the vicious actions they have committed against Iran, where they forced us into two wars over eight or nine months, killing and martyring thousands of our people, we certainly cannot have that.”
The comments came after FIFA President Gianni Infantino and U.S. President Donald Trump discussed the issue on Tuesday and declared that Iran’s national team would be welcome to participate in the June 11 World Cup to be held in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
“I met with US President Donald J. Trump this evening to discuss preparations for the upcoming FIFA World Cup and the growing anticipation ahead of its opening in just 93 days,” Infantino wrote on social media. “We also talked about the current situation in Iran and the fact that the Iranian national team has qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
“During the debate, President Trump reiterated that the Iranian team is welcome to compete in the tournament in the United States. We all need events like the FIFA World Cup to bring people together more than ever before. We truly appreciate the support of the American President, as it shows once again that soccer unites the world.”
Iran, in Group G, will play New Zealand (June 15) in Los Angeles, Belgium (June 21) and Egypt in Seattle (June 26).
FIFA has not officially confirmed Iran’s withdrawal or announced a replacement team. Iraq is a strong team to be the next team of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).
–Field level media
