Diplomatic crisis ahead of World Cup 2026: Iran threatens to withdraw from tournament following Donald Trump's remarks

The participation of the Iranian national team in the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup has been called into question following a series of confrontational statements from US and Tehran authorities. US President Donald Trump assessed that the presence of the Iranian team at the tournament is inappropriate, pointing to security issues and the existing travel ban. Travel ban introduced by Donald Trump last year covers citizens of 12 countries. In response, Iranian Minister of Sport and Youth Ahmad Donyamali announced that Iran is unable to participate in the tournament due to the assassination of its leader and concerns for the safety of the players. The 2026 World Cup will be the first tournament in history to be hosted simultaneously by three countries: the USA, Canada, and Mexico. Iran has regularly participated in recent World Cup editions, playing in the final tournaments in 2014, 2018, and 2022. A potential withdrawal of the national team for political reasons would be the first such case in modern football history.

The situation prompted an immediate reaction from FIFA, whose president Gianni Infantino met with Donald Trump to discuss the status of the Iranian team. Although an official resignation has not yet been submitted to world football's governing body, the threat of a boycott or exclusion has forced organizers to analyze contingency scenarios. „I believe it is not appropriate for Iran to be in the World Cup” — Donald Trump via Reuters Iran's sports ministry emphasizes that under current conditions, it sees no possibility of sending the squad to North America. The diplomatic conflict is already affecting the preparation schedule for the tournament, which is set to begin on June 11, 2026.

Political tensions are translating into concrete sporting decisions by other federations, complicating the schedule of friendly matches. Angola decided to cancel planned warm-up matches against Iran and Jordan, which were to be part of World Cup preparations. Human rights groups have appealed to FIFA to take action guaranteeing the inclusive nature of the championship and protecting the integrity of sporting competition. [{"dataISO": "2026-03-11", "data": "March 11", "tytul": "Tehran's declaration", "opis": "Minister Ahmad Donyamali announces Iran's inability to participate in the tournament."}, {"dataISO": "2026-03-12", "data": "March 12", "tytul": "US position", "opis": "President Donald Trump deems Iran's presence inappropriate."}, {"dataISO": "2026-03-12", "data": "March 12", "tytul": "Angola's reaction", "opis": "Cancellation of friendly matches with Iran and Jordan."}, {"dataISO": "2026-03-13", "data": "March 13", "tytul": "FIFA intervention", "opis": "Gianni Infantino meets with Donald Trump regarding the crisis."}]

According to the draw, the Iranian national team was assigned to a group where its opponents are to be New Zealand, Belgium, and Egypt. If Iran ultimately withdraws from the competition, FIFA will have to select a replacement or change the format of the group stage. The final tournament is scheduled to last until July 19, 2026, with matches planned at stadiums in 16 host cities. Diplomatic talks are currently underway to resolve the deadlock before pre-tournament training camps begin.