PARIS (Kashmir English): The US and Israeli strikes on Iran has raised the question of whether the Iranian national team will take part in the FIFA World Cup later this year, during which it is due to play group games in the United States.
There is a possibility of a boycott of the World Cup in Iran, according to reports.
Within hours of the joint US-Israeli strikes beginning on Saturday, Iranian Football Federation president Mehdi Taj told Iranian television: “What is certain at the present time is that with this attack and this cruelty, we cannot look forward to the World Cup with hope.”
Iranian domestic league also suspended
He also announced that the Iranian domestic league had been suspended.
“Team Melli”, as the Iranian national team are known, secured the berth in March last year for a seventh World Cup, and a fourth in a row.
Iran have been drawn in Group ‘G’ with Egypt, Belgium, and New Zealand and are scheduled to play their two matches in Los Angeles and one in Seattle.
A large Iranian diaspora has been living in Los Angeles since the Islamic Revolution of 1979. A large part of that diaspora backed the Pahlavi dynasty which was overthrown in the revolution.
FIFA, the world football’s governing body, is also cautious regarding the possibility of Iran pulling out of the mega event.
“We had a meeting… and it is premature to comment in detail, but we will monitor developments around all issues around the world,” FIFA secretary general Mattias Grafstrom said.
Almost 100 days are left to the tournament’s opening game and the situation in Iran could become acutely uncomfortable for FIFA president Gianni Infantino, who has been keen to show that he has a close relationship with US President Donald Trump.
All the more so as some Gulf nations who are due to take part in this year’s event have been drawn into the war, with Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Jordan all being targeted by retaliatory strikes.
FIFA’s regulations do not provide for the possibility of a boycott of the World Cup by a qualified team. A source close to world football’s governing body said “specific decisions” would have to be taken to replace Iran with another team if necessary.
Article 6 of the regulations for the 2026 World Cup says that “if a participating member association withdraws…as a result of force majeure,” FIFA “shall decide on the matter at its sole discretion and take whatever action is deemed necessary.”
If a team withdraws or is excluded from the competition, FIFA therefore has the freedom to take whatever decision it sees fit and “may decide to replace the participating member association in question with another association.”
If Iran boycotts the competition, it would open the way for another Asian team to take their place.
At the moment eight Asian teams have qualified for the first World Cup to feature 48 teams in total. There could yet be a ninth Asian team, if Iraq win an intercontinental play-off against either Bolivia or Suriname, scheduled to be played on March 31 in Monterrey, Mexico.
