Iran’s participation in the 2026 World Cup hosted by the United States promised to be an uncertain and contentious issue even before the United States and Israel began raining bombs on both Iranian political leaders and schoolgirls. The U.S. government had already denied visas to several delegations Iran had planned to send to the World Cup in December as part of a blanket travel ban on Iranian citizens. This would have prevented the majority of Iranian fans from attending this summer’s events. Another controversy arose immediately after the draw. Another controversy arose when Iranian and Egyptian officials raised a stink that a draw had taken place to schedule the Iran-Egypt group match against a pre-planned LGBTQ pride event in Seattle. Naturally, those minor points of friction and the long-standing geopolitical tensions they reflect have come to a head in the form of the war that FIFA Peace Prize winner and known war criminal Donald Trump has decided to wage against Iran. Iran’s official response was completely unexpected.
“Considering that this corrupt regime assassinated our leader, we cannot participate in the World Cup under any circumstances,” Iranian Sports Minister Ahmad Donyamali said Wednesday, referring to the U.S. government. He added, “Considering the vicious actions they have taken against Iran, where they have forced two wars on us over a period of eight or nine months and killed and martyred thousands of our people, we certainly cannot have that.”
Donamali’s comments follow a related report on Instagram last Tuesday that FIFA president and dictator Gianni Infantino met with our dear leader to talk about what the ongoing war means for the World Cup. “President Trump reiterated that the Iranian team is welcome to participate in tournaments held in the United States.” Infantino concluded his message by saying, “More than ever, we all need events like the FIFA World Cup to bring people together, and I am truly grateful for the support of the President of the United States, who shows once again that soccer unites the world.” When asked about his thoughts on Iran during the World Cup last week, President Trump responded, “I really don’t care.”
In fact, it is difficult to believe the claim that football is a useful tool for uniting the world in an age of senseless war. Especially when the person making the claim has recently awarded a pacifism award to someone who invented something and started a war. But I think there’s something to it. What Iran’s World Cup defeat shows is that soccer and the world as political entities are in fact inseparable.
I am sure Trump will heartily welcome Iran to the upcoming tournament. Because this would be a small but real legitimization of his power and impunity, just as Israel’s genocide of Palestinians would be legitimized if FIFA did not kick Israel out of the game. Likewise, what is left of the Islamic Republic appears to be much more than the United States and Israel had anticipated when they first launched their botched attack. This principled stance against “corrupt regimes” could be used to publicize a boycott of the world’s most important sporting event by legitimizing a corrupt, unpopular and dictatorial government. Let us not forget that many of the men who had the potential to represent Iran in the United States this summer are deeply opposed to the Islamic Republic. The same goes for many of the women’s national team players who are currently in trouble in Australia after another football tournament.
Just as the fate of women’s soccer players has become a political game, regime loyalists on one side have condemned the team’s national anthem protests, while Western leaders, such as Trump himself, have used protests against Iranian government atrocities to justify new atrocities. The ultimate decision on whether Iran will play in the World Cup will be a political choice more than anything else. Perhaps the most disconcerting thing is that the choice has not yet been decided. Donyamali expressed his opinion and Trump expressed his opinion through his ass-licker. Under normal circumstances, the opinion of Iran’s Sports Minister might be considered decisive, but it is unknown whether the FIFA Peace Prize winner will continue to risk his life until Iran’s official position comes out.
