Iran hints at 2026 World Cup boycott after women players defect

Iran’s involvement in the 2026 FIFA World Cup has been thrown into uncertainty after senior football officials suggested the country may reconsider sending its national team to the tournament.

Mehdi Taj, president of the Iran Football Federation, raised doubts about participation during a televised interview on Iranian state media.

“If the World Cup is like this, who in their right mind would send their national team to a place like this?” Taj said, referring to recent developments involving members of Iran’s women’s national team during the ongoing AFC Women's Asian Cup in Australia.

The 2026 World Cup will be jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada, with Iran currently scheduled to play all three of its group-stage matches in the United States. Two of those games are set to take place in Los Angeles, while the third is planned for Seattle.

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Women Players seek asylum in Australia

The controversy erupted during the Women’s Asian Cup tournament in Australia when several members of Iran’s national team requested asylum. Five players, including captain Zahra Ghanbari, reportedly left the team’s hotel in Australia before approaching local authorities for protection.

• Related Article: Australia grants asylum to five members of Iran women’s soccer team amid ongoing conflict

Australian officials later confirmed that the players had applied for asylum, while local media reports suggested that at least two additional squad members also sought to remain in the country. The incident drew widespread international attention and sparked political tensions surrounding Iran’s national teams.

Anthem Protest and Backlash

The situation intensified after members of the Iranian squad chose not to sing the national anthem before their opening match against South Korea women's national football team.

The silence was interpreted by some observers as a sign of protest or mourning amid the escalating conflict involving Iran. Iranian state television later criticized the players, labeling them “wartime traitors.” However, the team sang the anthem and performed the military salute before their subsequent matches.

Iran ultimately exited the tournament after losing their final group match to the Philippines women's national football team.

Iranian officials blame foreign interference

Taj accused foreign governments of encouraging the asylum requests and suggested the players had been pressured to defect. He specifically referenced comments made by Donald Trump, who had publicly urged authorities to grant asylum to the players.

According to Taj, the remarks amounted to political interference in football and contributed to the ongoing diplomatic tension surrounding the case.

He also claimed Iranian players were prevented from leaving Australia and alleged they had been “taken hostage,” though those claims have not been independently verified.

• Related Article: 2026WCQ: Iran qualify for 2026 World Cup

World Cup participation under scrutiny

The dispute comes at a sensitive moment for international football, with the 2026 World Cup approaching and political tensions already affecting sporting relations. Iran qualified for the tournament earlier in the qualification cycle and remains scheduled to compete in the expanded 48-team event.

However, Taj’s comments have raised the possibility that Iran could withdraw from the competition should the diplomatic situation deteriorate further.

For now, FIFA and tournament organisers have not issued any official response regarding Iran’s potential participation.

SportsLigue