Iran Announces Boycott of 2026 World Cup Following Leader’s Death

Iran has announced it will boycott the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup, despite assurances from the United States that the Team would be safe during the tournament.

Global Mirror News gathered that the decision was disclosed by Iran’s Minister of Sports, Ahmad Donyamali, who said the Country would not participate in the Global football showpiece scheduled to be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

According to Donyamali, Iran’s withdrawal from the competition is linked to the death of its former Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei.

“Considering that this corrupt regime has assassinated our leader, under no circumstances can we participate in the World Cup,” he said.

The Global Football Governing Body, FIFA, has yet to officially respond to Iran’s decision.

However, FIFA President Gianni Infantino earlier revealed that the United States President, Donald Trump, had assured him that the Iranian National team would be safe if it chose to participate in the tournament.

Infantino disclosed that he met with Trump to discuss preparations for the 2026 tournament and the excitement building ahead of the global event, which is set to kick off in about three months.

During the meeting, Trump reportedly reiterated that Iran’s national team would be welcome to compete in the United States, where some of the matches are scheduled to take place, including fixtures in Los Angeles.

Infantino emphasised that global sporting events such as the World Cup remain important platforms for unity.

“We all need an event like the FIFA World Cup to bring people together now more than ever,” he said, thanking the U.S. President for supporting the idea that football can unite people across political divides.