'We'll boycott America, but...': Iran clears stance on FIFA World Cup 2026 participation
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "'We'll boycott America, but...': Iran clears stance on FIFA World Cup 2026 participation")
FIFA World Cup 2026 is scheduled to be played from Jun 11 to Jul 12 and is being co-hosted by USA, Canada, and Mexico Photograph: (Others)
FIFA World Cup 2026 is scheduled to be played from Jun 11 to Jul 12 and is being co-hosted by USA, Canada, and Mexico. The ongoing conflict between Iran and US-Israel, however, has made it doubtful for the Middle Eastern country to participate in the FIFA tournament.
The uncertainty over Iran's participation in upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026 continues amid the ongoing conflict between US-Israel-Iran. on Wednesday (Mar 18), Iran's football federation chief Mehadi Taj, while receving the women footballers returning from Asian Cup in Australia, reaffirmed that the country will not boycott the quadrennial event. Taj, however, did say that Iran will 'boycott America' but did not elaborate what it meant. FIFA World Cup 2026 is scheduled to be played from Jun 11 to Jul 12 and is being co-hosted by USA, Canada, and Mexico. The ongoing conflict between Iran and US-Israel, however, has made it doubtful for the Middle Eastern country to participate in the FIFA tournament.
Will Iran play in FIFA World Cup 2026?
"The national team is holding a training camp in Turkey, and we will also play two friendly matches there," FFIRI (Iranian football federation) president Taj was quoted as saying by the Fars News Agency as reported by several news outlets. "We will boycott America, but we will not boycott the World Cup."
The statement comes after FIFA hinted at not giving importance to Iran's demand of moving group stage matches outside USA for which the Middle Eastern country said it was 'negotiating with FIFA.'
What next for Iran?
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Earlier, Iran was hinting at not attending the FIFA World Cup, citing the conflict which started with US and Israel launched joint strikes on Iran on Feb 28, killing the country's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenie. Trump, meanwhile, replied back by saying he 'doesn't care' if Iran plays in the World Cup.
FIFA chief Gianni Infantino, meanwhile, said that he had spoken to the US president and Trump had assured him of 'welcoming' Iran. The US, notably, had banned the Iran nationals from coming in to the country with an exception for FIFA World Cup 2026 and LA 28 athletes.
