Iran look set to pull out of ‘inappropriate’ World Cup in the US – just 101 days before tournament starts – after American attacks

Iran may withdraw from the “inappropriate” World Cup to be held in America this summer following “bad” US and Israeli bombings of their country, the president of Iran’s football federation said.

The Islamic Republic’s national team has been placed in Group G of the tournament alongside New Zealand, Belgium and Egypt, but the prospect of participation is increasingly uncertain.

Following the death of their Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran is launching widespread retaliatory attacks in the Middle East, largely targeting US and Israeli military bases.

Mehdi Taj, head of the Iranian football federation, also told Iranian media in the last 24 hours that the country’s participation in the tournament is doubtful.

He told IRIB Channel 3: ‘It is not possible to say exactly but there will definitely be an answer. This will be reviewed by the country’s top sports officials and a decision will be made as to what will happen.

‘But what we can say now is that, because of this attack and its brutality, our hopes for the World Cup are far from our expectations.’

Iran national team was matched with New Zealand, Belgium and Egypt in Group G

He added that it would be “inappropriate” for Iran to compete under current conditions.

With just 101 days until the tournament kicks off in the US, Canada and Mexico, questions continue to grow about FIFA’s plan in the event of Iran’s withdrawal.

Currently, FIFA’s only public comment on the war in the Middle East has come from its general secretary, Mattias Grafstrom.

“I read the news (about Iran) this morning just like you,” Grafstrom told the International Football Association Board’s AGM in Cardiff on Saturday.

‘We had a meeting today, it is too early to comment in detail, but we will monitor the developments on all issues in the world.

‘We held the all-team final draw in Washington and our focus is on a safe all-team World Cup.

‘We will continue to communicate with the three (host) governments as we always have. Everybody will be safe.’

If Iran plays in the tournament, its matches against New Zealand and Belgium will be played in Los Angeles, and its match against Egypt will be played in Seattle.

US President Donald Trump told the Daily Mail in an exclusive interview on Sunday that he expected the conflict to last ‘four weeks or less’, giving the nation just over two months to prepare.

However, if they withdraw, FIFA will need to replace them quickly.

According to their own regulations this would be ‘a nominated reserve, usually the direct runner-up of the relevant qualifying play-off or the highest ranked non-qualified team from that confederation’.

Iraq will be top of the table if they fail to advance to the Intercontinental play-off final against Bolivia or Suriname later this month.

US President Donald Trump has been front and center in World Cup preparations

But if Iraq wins and automatically ranks, the country most likely to replace Iran will be the United Arab Emirates, which lost the confederation play-off to Iraq last year.

Iran’s preparations for the tournament will also be affected as no matches, including friendly matches, will be played during the 40-day mourning period due to the death of the Religious Leader.

Adding to further complications, fans in the country were already banned from entering the United States in the first iteration of the massive travel ban the Trump administration announced last year.

Only the team’s coaches and players were granted visa exemptions to enter the country and participate in the tournament, prompting Iran to threaten to boycott the World Cup draw.

Potential off-field issues at the tournament continue to raise fears, with alarm rising over cartel violence gripping Mexico and chaos surrounding ICE agents in the US.

But Trump has been front and center in the run-up to the World Cup, from Gianni Infantino being awarded the FIFA Peace Prize to having his photo taken with the trophy at the White House.

Speaking at the draw for the tournament in December, Trump said: ‘Gianni has done an incredible job. This is a beautiful tribute to you and the game of football, or the game we call football. It’s beyond what we thought was possible.

‘The world is a safer place now. The United States was not doing well a year ago; We are the hottest country in the world right now.’

Trump also established a White House working group for the World Cup, whose leader, Andrew Giuliani, said over the weekend that attacks on Iran had made “the world a safe place.”

“We’ll deal with the football games tomorrow,” Giuliani said. ‘Tonight we celebrate the Iranian people’s opportunity for freedom.’

The last country banned from competing at the World Cup was Russia in 2022 over its invasion of Ukraine, but Infantino recently suggested such measures be lifted.

Infantino claimed that although the war was still ongoing, the ban “gained nothing” and “only created more frustration and hatred”.

He added: ‘It would help if boys and girls in Russia could play football matches in other parts of Europe.’

Responding, Ukrainian Sports Minister Matvii Bidnyi called Infantino ‘irresponsible’ and ‘childish’.

‘They separate football from the reality of children being killed,’ he added.