Iran issues a firm World Cup warning: “If that happens, we will leave”

Tiktaknu, 10.6 / Sport1 Against the backdrop of rising tensions between Tehran and Washington since last February, Iran’s sports minister, Ahmad Donyamali, threatened today (Wednesday) that the Iranian national team could stop playing at the 2026 World Cup. According to him, if political chants or protests against the regime are heard in the stands, the team will stop the match.

On the eve of the 2026 World Cup, the Iran issue continues to spark controversy. According to the Iranian news agency ISNA, Donyamali made clear that the Iranian authorities had conveyed a firm message to FIFA. He said that if political slogans are heard or flags not approved by the government are raised during Team Melli’s matches, the Iranian delegation, regarded as an international symbol of the regime, will leave the stadium immediately. “We informed FIFA that if hostile chants are heard against the national team, national team coach Amir Ghalenoei will undoubtedly be required to stop the match,” the minister said.

Donyamali also stressed the organizers’ responsibility to prevent unauthorized symbols from being brought into the stands. Accordingly, only Iran’s current official flag will be allowed to appear in stadiums, while the historic flag with the lion and sun, which has become a symbol of protest against the ayatollah regime, will remain banned.

Iran is expected to play two of its group-stage matches in Los Angeles, against New Zealand on Monday and then against Belgium on June 21. The authorities expect a large turnout of fans of Iranian origin, as the Iranian community in the United States is one of the largest in the world. Parts of the Iranian diaspora see the World Cup as a major stage for expressing their opposition to the regime.

In addition, the football associations of Iran and Egypt previously asked FIFA to prevent activities related to the LGBTQ community during the match between the two teams on June 27 in Seattle. Before the group-stage draw, held on December 5, the match was designated by local organizers as a “pride match.” The issue is particularly sensitive because homosexuality is prohibited in both countries. In Iran, it can lead to a death sentence, while in Egypt morality laws are frequently used to suppress the rights and relationships of LGBTQ people. “We were promised that no unusual events would take place in the stadium during the match against Egypt,” the minister added.

These steps come amid worsening relations between Tehran and Washington since February. As a result, Iran moved its training camp from Arizona in the United States to Tijuana, Mexico, and will enter U.S. territory only on match days themselves.