Iran's sports minister has stated that Iran will not participate in the 2026 World Cup , which will be held from June 19 to July 11 in the United States, Canada and Mexico .
The news was reported by the ' Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung ', which also cited US President Donald Trump's stance that the Iranian national team is welcome to participate in the tournament.
Speaking on television, Minister Ahmad Donjamali linked his decision to the ongoing conflict and tensions with Washington.
"After this corrupt government killed our leader, we have no intention of participating in the World Cup," he said.
Donjamali also denounced what he called " hostile actions against Iran ," arguing that the country has been involved in two wars in the space of eight or nine months and that thousands of Iranian citizens have lost their lives.