Italy’s repechage to World Cup: Iran back heavily at risk of waiver
Iran’s participation in the 2026 World Cup in Canada, the United States and Mexico comes back heavily at risk after the latest developments in the Persian Gulf crisis. U.S. President Donald Trump has launched Operation Project Freedom to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and U.S. ships are becoming targets of the Iranian military.
“Iran will be wiped out if it attacks American ships,” Trump threatened in an interview with Fox. “We have more weapons and ammunition, and of much higher quality. We have the best equipment, we have all the equipment in the world. We have bases in every corner of the Earth.”
In this climate, Iran’s participation in the World Cup is back strongly in the balance (Tehran’s three selection matches are expected to be played in the US itself). Within a few days, the Iranian Football Federation will meet with FIFA’s top brass in Zurich for a face-to-face meeting on the World Cup: important news could come from the meeting.
The Zurich meeting, set for May 20, comes after a series of episodes that have further complicated the picture. Iranian Football Federation President Mehdi Taj had been turned away by Canadian border police at the Toronto airport, preventing him from attending the FIFA Congress in Vancouver. A diplomatic incident that prompted FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafström to issue a formal apology to Taj, inviting him specifically to the Swiss face-to-face. “On behalf of FIFA, I learned with great regret that it was not possible for you to enter Canada to attend the FIFA Congress,” reads the international body’s official note. Despite the turmoil, FIFA President Gianni Infantino had forcefully reiterated in front of representatives of 210 out of 211 federations — with Iran’s only absence — that the Tehran national team will participate regularly in the World Cup.
In the background remains the possibility of a repechage of Italy, which did not qualify for the European playoffs and is considered the main candidate to replace Iran in case of a forfeit after Trump’s special envoy’s pressure on FIFA.
