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From the Liveblog of
Wednesday, March 11, 2026
From the Liveblog of
Wednesday, March 11, 2026
Iran cannot participate in World Cup, its sports minister says
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Iran's Mehdi Taremi shoots the ball during the 2026 World Cup Asian qualifier group A soccer match between Iran and North Korea, at Azadi Stadium in Tehran, Iran, June 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
Iran cannot participate in the 2026 World Cup in June-July, which will be partially hosted in the US, after the US killed the country’s leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, sports minister Ahmad Donyamali says.
“Considering that this corrupt regime [the US] has assassinated our leader, under no circumstances can we participate in the World Cup,” the minister tells state television.
Earlier, FIFA chief Gianni Infantino had said US President Donald Trump had given him assurances that Iran would be able to participate.
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