Iran's withdrawal from the World Cup could threaten to mar the competitionIran has stunned the football world by withdrawing from the 2026 World Cup. Chief operating officer Heimo Schirgi asserted on Monday that the World Cup would proceed as scheduled, regardless of Iran's pullout. Iran have officially boycotted the FIFA World Cup this summerBoycotts and withdrawals Whilst Iran have become the first nation to boycott the World Cup since the 1970s, tournament withdrawals are far from unprecedented. Uruguay boycotted the 1934 World Cup despite being reigning champions1958 - Turkey, Indonesia, Egypt and Sudan all declined to participate in World Cup qualifying as they were required to compete against Israel. England's triumph in the 1966 World Cup had no African teams competing in it1966-1990 - South Africa were prohibited from the World Cup for almost three decades owing to the nation's Apartheid policies.

Source: Express March 12, 2026 12:19 UTC