The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has confirmed that Iran national football team is still expected to participate in the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup, despite recent political tensions and speculation about a possible withdrawal.

According to reports by Reuters and Associated Press, AFC officials said they have not received any official notification from Iran indicating a withdrawal from the global tournament scheduled to take place in the United States, Canada, and Mexico later this year.

The clarification comes after comments from Iran’s sports minister suggested the country might not participate due to escalating geopolitical tensions following military strikes involving the United States and Israel.

However, AFC General Secretary Windsor John emphasized that the decision ultimately rests with the Iranian football federation and, as of now, Iran remains on course to compete in the tournament.

The 2026 World Cup, which kicks off in June, will be the first edition featuring 48 teams, with Iran already drawn into a group alongside Belgium, Egypt, and New Zealand.

Football authorities say that if Iran were to officially withdraw, it would be an extremely rare event in modern World Cup history and could force FIFA to find a replacement team from Asia at short notice.

For now, the AFC maintains that Iran remains part of the competition lineup, while the football world watches closely to see how the situation unfolds ahead of kickoff