'Under no circumstances can we participate' - Iran to boycott World Cup over US attacks

The country's sports minister said the two wars initiated against it by Israel and the US plus the assassination of leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei means they "cannot have...a presence" this summer

PURVEYORS OF PEACE?: US President Donald Trump is presented with the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize award by FIFA President Gianni Infantino has been criticised by his old boss Michel Platini, who says the Swiss has “always been a fan of rich and powerful people”. Pic: Sam Corum/PA Wire.

Iran cannot participate in the 2026 World Cup after the United States killed their leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the sports minister, Ahmad Donyamali, said on Wednesday.

The United States and Israel launched airstrikes on Iran nearly two weeks ago, killing the Islamic Republic’s supreme leader, leading to a region-wide conflict in the Gulf.