Iran men's national soccer team faces potential World Cup withdrawal as regional conflict intensifies

Middle East war puts Iran's 2026 World Cup place in the US in doubt. Iraq is next in line if the Islamic Republic withdraws or is excluded.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 3, 2026, 4:32 AM EST

Source: The information in this article was sourced from The Times of Israel

Tournament logistics and host city venues

The Iranian national team is scheduled to compete in three group stage matches within the United States between June 15 and June 26. Two of these fixtures are slated for Inglewood, California, with a final group game in Seattle. This presence is complicated by the ongoing coordinated military strikes by the US and Israel against Iranian territory. While the US government has previously indicated that athletes and coaches for major sporting events would be exempt from travel bans, the current state of war has made the arrival of the state-backed federation's team highly uncertain.

Potential replacements and AFC standings

Should the Iranian soccer federation withdraw or be excluded from the 48-nation tournament, FIFA regulations allow for the replacement of the participating member association at the organization's discretion. Iraq is currently positioned as the primary candidate to fill the vacancy from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). Iraq defeated the United Arab Emirates in a regional playoff and is already scheduled for an intercontinental playoff against Bolivia or Suriname later this month. FIFA's rules do not strictly mandate that a replacement must come from the same continent, though regional precedent favors maintaining continental representation.

Financial and disciplinary consequences

A withdrawal from the World Cup would result in severe financial losses for the Iranian soccer federation. Under current FIFA structures, each participating team receives 1.5 million dollars for preparation costs and a minimum of 9 million dollars in prize money, regardless of their performance in the group stage. Furthermore, the federation would face disciplinary fines ranging from 321,000 to 642,000 dollars, depending on the timing of the withdrawal. Beyond immediate financial impact, FIFA could exercise its authority to ban Iran from qualifying for the 2030 World Cup.