Exclusive: Islamic Republic Welcomes Potential World Cup Suspension for National Football Team

Sources close to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) told IranWire that officials within Iran’s Football Federation and the broader sports establishment are not opposed to the "suspension of Iranian football" or the "removal of the national team ahead of the 2026 World Cup."

According to the source, the nature of responses and reactions from Iran’s sports directors and Football Federation to inquiries made by global sports governing bodies in recent days has led to a specific conclusion: the Iranian establishment has likely determined that a “potential suspension” by FIFA or the IOC would carry “lower costs” than participating in the 2026 World Cup.

In recent days, after several sporting figures were killed by the Islamic Republic on the streets of Iran, international sports bodies - under intense global pressure - have questioned Iran’s Football Federation and National Olympic Committee about the circumstances of the athletes’ deaths.

Information obtained by IranWire suggests that, unlike in the lead-up to the 2022 World Cup, the Iranian side has offered no clear responses or attempts at justification.

The prospect of the Iranian national team playing in a World Cup hosted by the United States appears to have deeply unsettled the authorities. Growing anger among Iranians abroad - especially in the U.S. - over the regime’s repression and killings has raised fears that the tournament would backfire. Rather than serving as a stage for propaganda or projecting an image of stability, officials worry it would turn into a global platform for protest, sharp criticism, and renewed attention on the killing of demonstrators in Iran.

The Iranian national team is currently scheduled to play New Zealand on Tuesday, June 16, and Belgium on Sunday, June 21, both at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, followed by a match against Egypt on Saturday, June 27, at Lumen Field in Seattle.

A source close to the IOC said that, “at least under current circumstances,” it appears unlikely that FIFA plans to remove the Iranian team, as replacing it at this stage would be time-consuming and costly.