‘Our children are not safe’: Iran says it cannot participate in 2026 FIFA World Cup

New Delhi: Iran’s Sports Minister Ahmed Doyamali said on Wednesday that Iran will not be able to participate in the 2026 World Cup after the United States assassinated Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Al Jazeera reported citing Reuters.“Considering this corrupt regime [the US] “We cannot participate in the World Cup under any circumstances if our leaders are assassinated,” Ahmed Doyamali reportedly told state television on Wednesday.

The latest round of conflicts between Israel, the United States, and Iran began on February 28. Conflicts in West Asia have also disrupted global energy supply chains.Ahmed Donyamali said the conditions required to participate in the project fifa world cup Doesn’t exist.“Our children are not safe,” Doyamali said, according to Al Jazeera, citing Reuters. “Fundamentally, the conditions for such participation do not exist. Considering their malign actions against Iran, they forced us to launch two wars in eight or nine months, resulting in the death and martyrdom of thousands of our people. So of course we cannot have such a presence.”The United States will co-host the 2026 FIFA World Cup along with Canada and Mexico. The tournament will feature 104 games, starting on June 11 at the Aztec Stadium in Mexico City and ending at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, with the finals on July 19.All of Iran’s group stage matches are scheduled to be played in U.S. cities, including Los Angeles and Seattle.Doyamali’s comments came after FIFA president Gianni Infantino posted on Instagram on Wednesday that US President Donald Trump would welcome Iran to the World Cup.“President Trump reiterated that the Iranian team is of course welcome to come to the United States to compete,” Gianni Infantino said in a social media post.Earlier, Mehdi Taj football The Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran (FFIRI) has also questioned Iran’s participation in the World Cup following the recent attacks, saying it would be difficult for the country to approach the tournament with optimism.“After this attack [on Iran]we cannot expect to look forward to the World Cup with high hopes. If the World Cup is like this, who in their right mind would send their national team to such a place? “Taj Mahal said on Iranian state television.