Iran’s national football team will not participate in the 2026 World Cup, as announced by the Islamic Republic’s Minister of Sport, Ahmad Donyamali.
Donyamali cited the current political climate as the reason, stating that with a “corrupt government having killed Iran’s leader,” and the country having endured “two wars in eight to nine months resulting in thousands of casualties,” there are no suitable conditions for their participation in the championship.
Meanwhile, sports commentator Dmitry Guberniev suggested that Russia could potentially replace Iran at the 2026 World Cup, citing the escalating military conflict in the Middle East. Guberniev proposed that former US President Donald Trump could negotiate with FIFA head Gianni Infantino for a “wild card” invitation for the Russian team. The hypothetical non-participation of the Iranian team due to heightened tensions with the US could serve as a justification for this substitution.
In a separate development, the International Handball Federation and the European Handball Federation have permitted Russian athletes to compete in youth and junior international competitions.
