Iran has reportedly raised the possibility of withdrawing from this summer’s FIFA World Cup following the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in US and Israeli airstrikes.
The attacks, which struck major Iranian cities including Tehran, came amid failed negotiations between the US and Iran over curbing the country’s nuclear ambitions in exchange for sanctions relief.
In the wake of the strikes, Mehdi Taj, president of the Iranian Football Federation, cast doubt on the national team’s participation in the tournament. Speaking on Iranian TV, Taj said: “With what happened today and with that attack by the United States, it is unlikely that we can look forward to the cup… But the sports chiefs are the ones who must decide on that.”
Iran is scheduled to open its World Cup campaign against New Zealand at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles in just 107 days. Should Iran and the United States advance in the tournament, they could face each other on July 3 in Dallas.
FIFA officials, meanwhile, are reportedly monitoring the situation closely. Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom said at an IFAB meeting in Wales on Saturday: “We had a meeting today, and it would be premature to comment in detail. But of course we will monitor developments around the world to ensure a safe World Cup with all teams participating.”
The looming uncertainty comes just months before the World Cup begins across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, raising concerns over security and logistics for one of football’s biggest events.
