“I read the news (about Iran) this morning in the same way you read it,” Matthias Grafstrom said at the annual General Assembly of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) Council in Wales.
He added in statements reported by ESPN: “We held a meeting, and it is too early to comment in detail, but we will follow developments related to all issues around the world.”
He continued: “We held the draw for the finals in Washington with the participation of all teams, and our focus is on holding a safe World Cup with the participation of all teams.”
The FIFA Secretary General concluded by saying: “We will continue to communicate as usual with the three host governments, as always, everyone will be safe.”
Although no official announcement has been made regarding withdrawal or non-participation, this possibility is not excluded, especially with the start of the tournament in about 3 months, which prompts the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) to develop alternative plans.
What do the FIFA regulations say if Iran withdraws from the 2026 World Cup?
In the event that a team withdraws before the start of the World Cup, FIFA regulations stipulate that the team be replaced, and the selection is made according to the order of the qualifiers.
If the Iranian national team withdraws from the World Cup, the most likely approach would be to choose a replacement from the same continent, but the final decision rests with the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA).
The match schedule will remain the same as in the World Cup, where the substitute team will be in the same group and participate normally according to the match arrangement.
The Iranian national team is in Group Seven of the 2026 World Cup, which includes the teams of Egypt, Belgium and New Zealand.
The Iranian national team is scheduled to open its World Cup campaign against New Zealand, before playing against Belgium, and then conclude its matches in the group stage against Egypt, in the second half of June 2026.
It is noteworthy that the American city of Los Angeles will host two matches for the Iranian national team, while Seattle will host Iran’s match against Egypt on June 26.
Source: media
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Published on: 2026-02-28 23:42:00
Source: arabic.rt.com
