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FIFA World Cup 2026

Updated at:

Iranian national football team to take part in 2026 FIFA World Cup — Foreign Ministry

According to the statement, the decision was made based on the evaluation of the Iranian Ministry of Sports and Youth and the Iranian Football Federation

© Amin M. Jamali/ Getty Images

TEHRAN, May 18. /TASS/. The Iranian national football team will compete in the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States after the world’s governing body of football, FIFA, provided the Iranian side with the required guarantees, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmail Baghaei said on Monday.

"The decision on the participation of the Iranian national football team in the World Cup was made based on the evaluation of the [Iranian] Ministry of Sports and Youth and the [Iranian] Football Federation," Baghaei said at a press conference.

"Two days ago, Turkey hosted a productive meeting between representatives of the [Iranian] Football Federation and senior FIFA officials, and we were assured that FIFA would make every effort to ensure that the hosts of the tournament comply with FIFA regulations," the diplomat added.

FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom announced on May 17 that Turkey hosted a productive meeting between representatives of FIFA and the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran (FFIRI) and following that meeting FIFA expected the Iranian national team to take part in the upcoming World Cup.

History of Iran’s participation in 2026 FIFA World Cup

On April 22, Iranian Sports Minister Ahmad Donyamali stated that the Iranian national football team might still participate in the 2026 FIFA World Cup if the safety of the team was ensured, however, no final decision was made at that time.

Minister Donyamali stated on March 11 that Iran would skip the 2026 FIFA World Cup. However, on March 16, the Secretary General of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), Windsor John, announced that the Iranian side hadn't officially refused to participate in the upcoming World Championship.

On March 17, President of the Iranian Football Federation Mehdi Taj announced that the country’s football body was in talks with FIFA on relocating the team's matches at the 2026 World Cup from the United States to Mexico. FIFA President Gianni Infantino said in turn that the world’s governing body of football will do everything in its power to accommodate the Iranian national team at the upcoming global football championship.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be co-hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States between June 11 and July 19. The matches will be staged in 16 cities across the three countries. This will be the first FIFA World Cup featuring 48 teams instead of the previous 32-team format.

The Iranian football team qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and, following the draw, was placed in Group G alongside Belgium, Egypt and New Zealand. Iran was scheduled to play all of its three group stage matches in the United States.

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