The Two Countries That Could Replace Iran at the World Cup Emerge
- FIFA’s tournament regulations allow for a qualified team to be replaced if it withdraws or is unable to fulfil its World Cup fixtures due to unforeseen circumstances
- Iranian officials have expressed significant doubt about their national team’s participation in the 2026 World Cup amid ongoing geopolitical conflict, leaving their World Cup status uncertain
- FIFA has emphasised that it is monitoring developments closely and remains focused on ensuring a safe World Cup with full participation from all teams
Iran could be replaced by two different nations if they withdraw or are unable to fulfil their fixtures at the 2026 World Cup, according to FIFA regulations.
The United States and Israel reportedly co-ordinated the first of their attacks on Iran in the early hours of Saturday morning.
Source: Getty Images
US President Donald Trump said the purpose of the strikes was “to defend American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime” after negotiations over Iran’s nuclear programme broke down.
Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, was reportedly killed in a US and Israeli airstrike on his office in Tehran on Saturday evening.
Iran has since launched retaliatory attacks targeting various US and Israeli military bases across parts of the Middle East, including in Qatar and Jordan.
From a sporting perspective, Iran are scheduled to travel to the United States for the 2026 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico in June.
They have been drawn in Group G alongside Belgium, Egypt and New Zealand, having avoided a potential group-stage meeting with the US.
FIFA’s only public comment so far has come from general secretary Mattias Grafström.
Speaking via ESPN, Grafström, who has held multiple roles within FIFA since Gianni Infantino became president in 2016, said:
“We had a meeting today and it is premature to comment in detail, but we will monitor developments around all issues around the world.
“We had the finals draw in Washington in which all teams participated, and our focus is on a safe World Cup with all the teams participating.
“We will continue to communicate, as we always do, with three [host] governments, as we always do in any case. Everybody will be safe.”
If Iran withdraw from the tournament, or it is otherwise determined that they cannot play their matches, FIFA statutes allow for a replacement. The regulations state that, provided there is sufficient time, the team would be replaced “with a nominated alternate, often the direct runner-up from the relevant qualifying play-off or highest-ranked non-qualified team from that confederation.”
2 countries to replace Iran
In practical terms, this leaves FIFA with three potential solutions.
One option would be to award the qualification spot to the United Arab Emirates, who were the highest non-qualifier behind Iran in their Asian qualifying group and also lost their confederation play-off to Iraq.
The UAE have reportedly intercepted aerial drones from Iran during the early days of the current conflict, with falling debris causing significant structural damage and forcing the temporary closure of the Gulf nation’s main airport.
Another possibility would be to replace Iran with Iraq, who have already progressed to the inter-confederation play-offs.
Iraq are set to face the winner of the play-off semi-final between Bolivia and Suriname in Guadalupe, Mexico, on March 31, with the victor of that final securing a place at the World Cup.
In that scenario, FIFA would need to act swiftly but could potentially allocate Iraq’s vacant inter-confederation play-off spot to the UAE.
If there is not enough time to find a replacement, FIFA could instead restructure Group G and proceed with a three-team group consisting of Belgium, Egypt and New Zealand at the 2026 World Cup.
Source: YEN.com.gh
