Iran’s participation in the World Cup is now in doubt amid rising tensions in the Middle East, with Iraq and the United Arab Emirates emerging as potential replacements should the Iranian team withdraw from the competition.
The uncertainty deepened after Mehdi Taj, president of the Iranian Football Federation, questioned his team’s presence in the tournament. “After this attack, one cannot expect us to look at the World Cup with hope,” he stated.
Despite FIFA’s determination to ensure the tournament, which begins June 11th, proceeds as planned, sources within the organization indicate that if Iran withdraws, the vacancy will likely be filled by another nation from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).
FIFA regulations for the World Cup are vague on the matter, stipulating only that the organization has “absolute discretion” to “take any measures it deems necessary” and may “decide to replace the member association in question with another association.”
Iraq has emerged as the leading candidate to take Iran’s place. The Iraqi national team defeated the United Arab Emirates in a playoff, earning them a spot in an intercontinental playoff against Bolivia or Suriname on March 31st in Monterrey, which will determine another spot in the final stage. FIFA sources indicate that if Iraq does not qualify through that route, they would be next in line to replace Iran.
Should Iraq secure direct qualification, the Iranian vacancy could then be offered to the United Arab Emirates, as the highest-ranked Asian team that did not qualify for the tournament.
FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafström reiterated on Saturday that “our focus is to have a safe World Cup with the participation of everyone.” Tensions between Iran and the United States have already surfaced, with the U.S. Government prohibiting entry to Iranian citizens, with limited exceptions for the national team. Several Iranian officials, including Mehdi Taj himself, have had their visas denied for the World Cup draw, held in Washington in December.
Iran qualified for the tournament by winning Group A of the third round of AFC qualifying. The team has scheduled matches against Novel Zealand and Belgium in Los Angeles, and against Egypt in Seattle.
A withdrawal by Iran would be an unprecedented event in the modern era of World Cups. The last time a country withdrew after the draw was in 1950, when France and India pulled out due to travel costs.
