Countries That Have Withdrawn From World Cup Amid Iran’s Boycott of Tournament Draw
- Iran’s Football Federation says it will boycott next week’s draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup
- The United States refused to issue visas to several key members of its official delegation
- The draw is scheduled to take place in Washington, D.C., and marks the formal kickoff of preparations for the global tournament
Iran are to boycott next week’s World Cup draw in Washington after the president of the country’s football federation was denied a visa to enter the United States.
For the first time, football’s biggest global stage will be jointly hosted by three nations next summer: Canada, Mexico and the USA.
So far, only 42 of the 48 teams set to compete have secured their places in North America, with the rest to be decided over the coming months.
Source: Getty Images
The draw for the Mundial is scheduled to take place in Washington, D.C., and marks the formal kickoff of preparations for the global tournament.
But a spokesperson for Iran’s Football Federation (FFIRI) described the decision to reject the visa application as “unrelated to sport”, and the move raises the prospect of Iran withdrawing from the tournament altogether.
Iran is one of 19 nations whose citizens are restricted from entering the US since a directive issued by US President Donald Trump in June.
An exemption to the ban was granted to athletes, coaches or “persons performing a necessary support role” who were travelling for the World Cup or “other major sporting event”, but appears not to have been applied in this instance.
“We have informed FIFA that the decisions taken are unrelated to sport and that the members of the Iranian delegation will not participate in the World Cup draw,” the federation spokesperson Amir Mehdi Alavi was quoted as saying by the English language newspaper the Tehran Times.
While the Iranian football federation is set to boycott next week's draw for the 2026 World Cup, YEN.com.gh explores the countries that have withdrawn from football’s biggest stage.
9 countries that boycotted FIFA World Cup
One of the earliest and most memorable boycotts came in 1934, when Uruguay, the very first World Cup winners, refused to defend their crown in Italy.
Their decision was in protest at the lack of European nations willing to travel for the inaugural tournament in Montevideo in 1930, according to Football History.
To this day, Uruguay remain the only champions who have not defended their title at the following edition of the World Cup tournament.
Source: Getty Images
That same year, England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland also opted out, insisting their Home Championship was superior to FIFA’s competition.
Four years later, Uruguay maintained their boycott in 1938, this time joined by fellow 1930 finalists, Argentina.
The Argentine federation had expected to host the tournament, believing FIFA would alternate World Cups between South America and Europe.
Instead, France was awarded the finals, a decision that sparked fury in Buenos Aires and led to the South Americans withdrawing in protest.
Thankfully, after the drama of 1938, no major boycotts occurred until 1950 in Brazil.
For that tournament, Asia was allocated one qualifying spot, contested by India, Indonesia, the Philippines and Burma.
When the latter three withdrew, India automatically qualified. Yet they too pulled out before the finals, per The Times of India.
A long-standing myth claimed FIFA banned them from playing barefoot, as they had done at the 1948 Olympics in London.
But reports in the Los Angeles Times suggested the real reason was more straightforward: Indian officials simply didn’t view the World Cup as important enough at the time.
Scotland also missed the 1950 finals after their FA insisted the team would only participate if they won the Home Championship outright, which they failed to do.
Turkey, meanwhile, withdrew over the financial burden of sending a squad across the Atlantic.
Another dramatic withdrawal came in 1974. The USSR, fresh from an era defined by legendary goalkeeper Lev Yashin, reached a play-off against Chile after finishing as runners-up in European qualifying.
The first leg in Moscow ended goalless, but the second leg in Santiago became mired in politics after General Pinochet’s violent coup.
The Soviets demanded the venue be changed, but FIFA refused.
The USSR declined to travel, and Chile advanced after their players kicked off against an empty opposition, passing the ball into an unguarded net before the referee blew the final whistle.
There have also been several occasions where nations pulled out collectively during qualifying.
The most striking example came in 1966, when every African country withdrew in protest at the continent’s lack of direct representation, making England the only hosts in World Cup history to see an entire continent boycott their tournament.
Meanwhile, FIFA has confirmed that Russia remains barred from the World Cup.
The European country has been suspended by both FIFA and UEFA since February 2022 following its invasion of Ukraine and has not yet been reinstated to competitive football.
According to FIFA, the following teams have qualified for the tournament next year:
- Co-hosts: Canada, Mexico, USA
- AFC: Australia, IR Iran, Japan, Jordan, Korea Republic, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan
- CAF: Algeria, Cabo Verde, Côte d'Ivoire, Egypt, Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia
- Concacaf: Curaçao, Haiti, Panama
- CONMEBOL: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Uruguay
- OFC: New Zealand
- UEFA: Austria, Belgium, Croatia, England, France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland (42 of 48 teams).
FIFA could ban India from international football
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that FIFA could soon hand out another major punishment in international football.
India is reportedly facing a ban over the current constitution of its football association, with the matter in court.
Source: YEN.com.gh
