Kuala Lumpur, March 17: The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has confirmed that it has not received any notification from Iran regarding a withdrawal of its national football team from the FIFA World Cup 2026.
Iran has successfully qualified for the 48-team tournament, which will take place in the United States, Canada, and Mexico starting June 11. The team is set to play two group matches in Los Angeles and one in Seattle.
Despite this, Iran’s sports minister has expressed concerns about the players’ ability to participate, especially following recent US airstrikes in collaboration with Israel that resulted in the death of Iran’s supreme leader.
US President Donald Trump stated last week that while Iran is welcome to join the World Cup, he believes their participation may not be safe given the current circumstances.
“It’s a very emotional moment. Everybody’s saying a lot of things,” said AFC General Secretary Windsor John during a press conference in Kuala Lumpur. “Ultimately, it’s up to the federation to decide if they will play. As of today, they have communicated their intention to attend the World Cup.”
John emphasized the AFC’s support for Iran, stating, “They are our member. We want them to play. They qualified, and we hope they can resolve their issues and participate.”
Should Iran officially withdraw from the tournament, it would mark the first such occurrence in modern history, placing FIFA in a position to urgently find a replacement. It remains uncertain whether FIFA would have adequate time to substitute Iran if they choose to withdraw. One potential solution could involve selecting the highest-ranked Asian team that did not qualify for the tournament.
Additionally, Group G, which includes Iran, may need to adapt to accommodate only three teams instead of the usual four. The tournament is scheduled to run until July 19.
My name is Ganpat Singh Choughan. I am an experienced content writer with 7 years of expertise in the field. Currently, I contribute to Daily Kiran, creating engaging and informative content across a variety of categories including technology, health, travel, education, and automobiles. My goal is to deliver accurate, insightful, and captivating information through my words to help readers stay informed and empowered.
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