The UAE is a candidate to qualify for the 2026 World Cup if Iran withdraws

British media revealed new developments regarding the possibility of the Iranian national team withdrawing from the 2026 World Cup, and the identity of the alternative team nominated to participate in its place in the tournament.

The Guardian newspaper quoted statements made by FIFA Secretary-General Matthias Grafström, during which he stressed that the Federation’s priority is to organize a safe version of the World Cup with the participation of all qualified teams, stressing that preparations are proceeding according to the schedule planned for the start of the tournament on June 11.

Grafstrom explained that the focus is on ensuring a stable and safe environment for all delegations, at a time when the President of the Iranian Football Federation, Mehdi Taj, raised a state of ambiguity regarding the participation of his country’s national team, after he indicated that the recent circumstances make it difficult to look forward to competing in the tournament with hope after the attack that the country was subjected to.

The newspaper reported that the International Federation did not issue any additional comment following the statements of its Secretary-General, and is adhering to holding the tournament on its scheduled date. Sources indicated that if the International Federation was forced to deal with a possible Iranian withdrawal, the most likely alternative would be a team from the Asian continent.

She added: “If Iraq fails to reach the World Cup, sources in FIFA indicated that it will be the first candidate to replace Iran if necessary. However, if Iraq succeeds in qualifying, the opportunity may go to the UAE, as it is the highest-ranked Asian country that did not obtain a ticket to the finals.”

The World Cup regulations remain unclear in detail regarding the mechanism for replacing a team that has already qualified for the finals, as the rules stipulate that the International Federation has absolute discretion to take any action it deems necessary, including the possibility of replacing the concerned member association with another association if circumstances require it.