The Iranian Minister of Sports excludes the national football team from participating in the World Cup this summer.

Iran has announced that it will not participate in the 2026 World Cup, following airstrikes launched by the USA and Israel, which led to the killing of the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Ahmad Donyamali, Iran's Minister of Sports, stated that due to the conditions created by the current government and recent conflicts, there is no possibility of participating in the tournament. Iran qualified for the competition, scheduled between June 11 and July 19, 2026, in the USA, Mexico, and Canada, with matches scheduled against Belgium, Egypt, and New Zealand.

The president of the Iranian Football Federation also suggested a boycott, especially after the events related to the Iranian women's team, which remained in Australia after the Asia Cup. Despite these tensions, the president of FIFA stated that the Iranian team is welcome at the tournament.