Iran’s participation within the 2026 FIFA World Cup has been thrown into deep uncertainty after the nation’s soccer federation president stated publicly it was unimaginable to “look ahead to the World Cup with hope,” an announcement strengthened on Tuesday when President Donald Trump informed reporters he had no real interest in whether or not Iran competed in a event being co-hosted by a nation now in energetic army battle with the Islamic Republic.
Iran had been notably absent from a high-profile FIFA planning assembly held in Atlanta this week, the clearest sign but that the federation’s operational engagement with event preparations had successfully ceased. …
