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Iran are scheduled to play at the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico in just over 100 days' time, with all three of their group games to be held in the U.S. However, after President Donald Trump announced joint "major combat operations" between the U.S. and Israel against Iran on Saturday, there has been uncertainty over the country's participation.
The conflict has already seen longtime Iranian leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei killed in airstrikes in Tehran, as well as missile and drone attacks in response from Iran, targeting Israel, regional U.S. bases and Gulf nations.
It leaves many yet-to-be answered questions regarding the World Cup.
Will Iran still play at the World Cup?
Iran have played at six previous World Cups, including the past three tournaments in Brazil, Russia and Qatar, and they have already qualified for next summer's competition. They are scheduled to play in Group G, which sees them face a pair of games at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, against New Zealand and Belgium before a final group game against Egypt at Lumen Field in Seattle.
Will they play at the World Cup? It is way too early to know. Active conflict between the U.S. and Iran is only days old and any number of scenarios could yet play out. The president of Iran's soccer federation has admitted that he "does not know" if they will compete.
"What is certain is that after this attack, we cannot be expected to look forward to the World Cup with hope," Iran soccer president Mehdi Taj told sports portal Varzesh3.
There are multiple scenarios that could block Iran's participation -- they could boycott politically, they could withdraw due to team safety concerns, or they could be blocked from competing by the U.S. government. It is still possible that Iran could play against the United States men's national team in Arlington, Texas, should both teams finish second in their respective groups. (The USMNT beat Iran 1-0 at the last World Cup in Qatar.)
Iranian nationals are barred from entering the U.S. under a travel ban introduced by the Trump administration last June, although it does allow exemption to "any athlete or member of an athletic team, including coaches, persons performing a necessary support role, and immediate relatives, traveling for the World Cup, Olympics, or other major sporting event."
It is worth mentioning that Iran are still playing international football. Iran's women's side is competing at the 2026 Asia Cup in Australia -- it lost 3-0 against South Korea on Monday in its opening group game. The team's head coach, Marziyeh Jafari, did not comment at a prematch news conference when asked about the conflict.
What happens if Iran do not play at the World Cup?
Should Iran not compete at next summer's World Cup, there are a few scenarios available to FIFA in the governing bodies' outlined protocols, although there is a lack of specificity in its rulebook.
The 2026 World Cup regulations released last year allow for FIFA to alter the competition -- it could, for example, change Group G to be a three-team group, although that would mean less games and risk upsetting agreed TV deals. More likely, FIFA would replace them with another team. However, picking an obvious replacement for Iran at the World Cup is not necessarily easy.
Qualification to the World Cup for Asian teams is quite convoluted, but it is ultimately split into three groups, which ended with Iran topping Group A and earning an automatic place at the World Cup. A subsequent group format then saw Saudi Arabia and Qatar join them, with the United Arab Emirates and Iraq sent to a playoff round. Iraq won that playoff tie over two legs in November, meaning they earned a place in FIFA's inter-confederation playoffs, where they will play the winner between Bolivia and Suriname later this month.
If Iraq manage to qualify, then the UAE would stand to be the next available Asian side, although FIFA could take the unlikely step of looking outside of Asia and choose a loser of the inter-confederation playoffs.
The World Cup is due to begin on June 11 when Mexico face South Africa at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.
