The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) stated that it has not received any official notification from Iran regarding the withdrawal of its national football team from the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Iran has qualified for the 48-team tournament in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, starting on June 11, with group matches scheduled in Los Angeles and Seattle.

Iran’s sports minister claimed it was impossible for players to participate after the US regime, in collaboration with Israel, conducted air strikes against Iran, resulting in the death of its supreme leader. However, AFC General Secretary Windsor John emphasized that no formal decision has been made, noting, “It’s a very emotional moment. Everybody’s saying a lot of things. At the end of the day, it’s the federation who should decide if they’re playing, and as of today, the federation has told us that they are going to the World Cup.”

An official withdrawal by Iran from football’s premier global event would be unprecedented in the modern era, forcing FIFA to urgently find a replacement. If Iran pulls out, FIFA could select the highest-ranked Asian team that failed to qualify. In such a scenario, Iran’s Group G might operate under special rules with three teams instead of four.

The tournament runs until July 19. AFC leadership expressed hope for Iran’s participation, stating, “They are our member. We want them to play. They qualified, so we hope that they will solve their issues, whatever it is, and be able to participate.”

Source: www.aljazeera.com