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Iran boycotts World Cup amid tensions with United States

March 11, 2026

By Djinodji SOLMENGAR

Iran has announced it will boycott the upcoming FIFA World Cup, citing rising tensions with the United States, one of the tournament’s host countries.

Iran’s Sports Minister Ahmad Donyamali said the country will not take part in the competition under any circumstances.

“Considering that this corrupt regime has assassinated our leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, under no circumstances can we participate in the World Cup,” Donyamali said.

The United States will host the tournament alongside Mexico and Canada.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino said in an Instagram post that U.S. President Donald Trump assured him Iran would be welcome to compete.

Trump earlier dismissed concerns about Iran’s participation.

“I really don’t care,” he said.

Iran’s national team was scheduled to play New Zealand in the United States in June. The team was also due to face Belgium and Egypt.

Djinodji Solmengar

Djinodji Solmengar

Djinodji Solmengar Rodrigue is a journalist with MRTV English, Chad’s first English-language media outlet, where he led English-language news coverage at its launch. Based in N’Djamena, his reporting explores political, economic, and social developments, with particular attention to everyday realities, informal sectors, and cultural life. His work also extends to football and broader societal issues, approached through field reporting and in-depth storytelling. Beyond reporting, Djinodji regularly conducts interviews focused on education, including the teaching of English in Chad, as well as conversations (with AFROTRONIX, to name a few) on culture and music. He is also active as an English–French interpreter, working alongside international media professionals. In this capacity, he recently supported and interpreted for a delegation of foreign journalists, including BBC representatives, during the PND Chad Connexion 2030 mission. Alongside his professional practice, Djinodji is pursuing a PhD, with research centered on the presence of China and Russia in Africa as portrayed in selected Commonwealth online media. His academic interests lie at the intersection of media, geopolitics, and discourse analysis. Earlier in his career, he taught English and authored a Master’s thesis examining the contextualization of English language teaching in Chad, reflecting a sustained engagement with educational challenges and policy.

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