Rob is the Editor-in-Chief of Offside, the sports brand for ZoomerMedia.

With just three months before the FIFA World Cup kicks off in North America, it sounds like one of the <a href="https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/which-countries-qualified-fifa-world-cup-2026-canada-usa-mexico" target="_blank">42 qualified countries</a> is pulling out.
That was the indication from Iran&#8217;s sports minister Ahmad Donyamali on state television on Wednesday.
&#8220;Considering that this corrupt ⁠regime [the US] has ⁠assassinated our leader, under no circumstances ⁠can we ⁠participate in ⁠the World Cup,&#8221; <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/sports/2026/3/11/iran-cannot-participate-in-the-fifa-world-cup-sports-minister-says" target="_blank">Donyamali said</a>.
The United States and Israel launched a military attack on Iran on Feb. 28.
&#8220;Given the malicious actions ⁠they have carried out against Iran, ⁠they have forced two wars on us over eight or nine months and have killed and martyred thousands of our people. Therefore, we ⁠certainly cannot have such a presence.&#8221;
The Iranian sports minister&#8217;s comments came hours after FIFA President Gianni Infantino said that U.S. President Donald Trump would allow Iran to compete.
&#8220;President Trump reiterated that the Iranian team is, of course, welcome to compete in the tournament in the United States,&#8221; <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DVutygMD2RR/?hl=en" target="_blank">Infantino said in a statement posted to Instagram</a>.
&#8220;We all need an event like the FIFA World Cup to bring people together now more than ever, and I sincerely thank the President of the United States for his support, as it shows once again that Football Unites the World.&#8221;
Canada, Mexico, and the United States are co-hosting this year&#8217;s World Cup.
Iran was placed into Group G, along with Belgium, Egypt, and New Zealand. All of Iran&#8217;s matches are scheduled to be played in the United States, beginning with a matchup against New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15. Their other matches were to be played against Belgium on June 21 in L.A. and Egypt on June 26 in Seattle.
If Iran pulls out, Iraq would be the natural choice as a replacement. The Iraqi team is the lone country from the Asian Football Confederation competing in the inter-confederation playoffs, which wrap up at the end of March.
<ul class="article-see-also">You might also like:<li><a href='https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/which-countries-qualified-fifa-world-cup-2026-canada-usa-mexico' target='_blank'>These 42 countries have qualified for FIFA World Cup 2026 in Canada, U.S., Mexico</a></li></ul>

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With just three months before the FIFA World Cup kicks off in North America, it sounds like one of the 42 qualified countries is pulling out. 