AP
Tehran, Updated 12:03 PM Mar 02, 2026 IST
The president of Iran’s football federation said Thursday he is unsure whether the national team will be able to play World Cup matches in the United States following the surprise U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian territory.
“What is certain is that after this attack, we cannot be expected to look forward to the World Cup with hope,” Mehdi Taj told Iranian sports website Varzesh3 as Iran and Israel exchanged strikes amid a widening conflict triggered by the bombardment.
The U.S. and Israeli strikes continued into a second day on Sunday after reports that the attacks killed Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei — a development that has thrown the country’s future into uncertainty and raised fears of broader regional instability.
Iran is drawn in Group G at the World Cup and is scheduled to open against New Zealand in Inglewood, California, on June 15, play Belgium in Inglewood again on June 21, and finish the group stage against Egypt in Seattle on June 26. The tournament is being hosted jointly by the United States, Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19.
Iranian supporters already faced U.S. travel restrictions: during the Trump administration’s initial travel ban, fans from Iran were barred from entering the United States.
FIFA had not responded to an email from The Associated Press seeking comment on Iran’s status for the tournament.
Image credit: X @ir_ffiri
