Escalation of War Threatens Iran's Participation in the 2026 World Cup.. UAE and Iraq as Potential Alternatives

The Iranian national football team faces the possibility of withdrawing from the 2026 World Cup finals amid escalating military tensions with the United States, which could open the door for the redistribution of one of the Asian slots in the tournament scheduled to take place in the summer in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Sport Babel reported that the Iranian Football Federation acknowledged that the team's participation in the World Cup has become "unlikely" following the strikes that Washington announced it carried out against Iran as part of what it described as extensive combat operations.

Match Schedule Planned in America

Iran had secured its qualification for the World Cup for the fourth consecutive time in March 2025, where it was scheduled to play group stage matches in the United States.
According to the schedule, the Iranian team was set to face the New Zealand national football team on June 15 in Los Angeles, followed by a match against the Belgium national football team on June 21 in the same city, and then a match against the Egypt national football team on June 26 in Seattle.

Statements from the President of the Iranian Federation

In a statement reported by the Spanish newspaper Marca, the President of the Iranian Federation, Mehdi Taj, said:
"With what happened today and the attack from the United States, it is unlikely that we will go to the World Cup, but the final decision rests with the sports officials."
The federation also announced the suspension of the domestic league until further notice, indicating the impact of security developments on sports activities in the country.

UAE and Iraq in the Running

If Iran officially withdraws, estimates suggest that the UAE national football team will be the top contender to fill the vacant Asian slot, followed by the Iraq national football team.
However, the Iraqi team is preparing to play a continental playoff against the Bolivia national football team or the Suriname national football team, which could lead to a rearrangement of the qualification path, allowing Iraq to participate directly in the World Cup while the UAE moves to the playoff match.

FIFA Monitoring Developments

For its part, the International Football Federation (FIFA) confirmed that it is monitoring the developments without making a final decision yet.
The federation's secretary general, Matthias Grafström, stated in comments reported by ESPN that it is too early to comment in detail, emphasizing that the priority remains to organize a safe tournament with the participation of all qualified teams.