“World Cup or World War?!": The US and Middle East conflict raises concerns over the biggest sporting event of the year

Have things started to go downhill after the first FIFA Peace Prize was given out? (Image credits – Heute; licence details).

This summer the FIFA World Cup 2026 is set to take the centre stage in the United States of America, Mexico and Canada. Hosting 48 teams this year and three host nations for the first time in the history of the competition, this edition is set to be nothing short of a festival of football and celebration.

The competition which brings nations together could be on the brink of collapse as the conflict in the Middle East is escalating with every passing day and tensions are at an all-time high between the US, Israel and Iran. Geopolitics could derail the biggest sporting festival this summer as the world is on the brink of a large-scale war.

In recent years, the World Cup has always been a centre of controversy, be it the Qatar World Cup in 2022 or the Russia World Cup in 2018. However, the World Cup set to be hosted by the US, Mexico and Canada this year has been a centre of controversy for different yet strong reasons.

Mexico is burning due to a large-scale cartel war after the death of their leader “El Mencho", and now co-host the US are on a full-scale war with Iran. This is for the first time when a host nation is at war against a nation that's competing in the World Cup on their soil. As per reports, the Iran national team is considering withdrawing from the competition, as they will be facing a hostile atmosphere, harsh security protocols and visa issues on American soil.

Iran has qualified for the competition and is keen on participating, but if the conflict worsens between the two nations, their participation would become more of a political symbolisation instead of just football. Due to diplomatic protocols, Iranian citizens could be denied entry to America, and even if they are allowed, it could lead to a large-scale protest from the visitors during the football matches, which will turn this football festival into a complete fiasco.

For the host nation, the United States, it would be a disastrous for their reputation if any complex situation arises. They have already been criticised for hosting the event in harsh weather conditions and stadiums lacking enough facilities, but hosting a tournament amidst geopolitical conflict could be the final nail in the coffin.

In this edition, 48 nations were introduced for the first time in an attempt to unite the world via football, but because of the scenario in the Middle East, it could turn out to be the complete opposite of it.

FIFA as an institution always stands by its words that politics must not mix with football, but in reality it always has in recent years. The Russian football team were banned from all competitions because of their geopolitical conflict with Ukraine.

We could see a similar action in either the United States of America or even Iran in the future, turning it into an extraordinary situation. The probability of postponing the World Cup also isn't viable because of the high marketing costs.

Safety during the competition is also a major factor that could affect this time. Following the death of their supreme leader, Ayatollah Khomeini, the regime of Iran has vowed to take revenge on the United States of America.

If the nation were at war during that time, it would be highly unlikely that they would be able to host the World Cup, providing sufficient safety. Chances of cross-border terrorist activities could also be there, as there will be massive footfall in the continent during summer.

Boycott on the cards: Will Iran play in the World Cup hosted by the USA?

As per reports, the Iran national team has been instructed to withdraw from the FIFA World Cup following the recent conflicts. Their group stage games are all scheduled in the United States. Iran will face New Zealand and Belgium in Los Angeles and then Egypt in Seattle. 

The Middle Eastern nation did not boycott the competition last time when the US had bombed three nuclear facilities in their soil. However, following the death of their supreme leader in the US-Israeli airstrikes, the football federation of the nation has expressed doubts over its participation.

"With what happened and with that attack by the United States, it is unlikely that we can look forward to the World Cup, but the sports chiefs are the ones who must decide on that,” said the head of the football association. (sic)

The country’s political future is in a dilemma, and there's huge uncertainty over the political landscape by the time the World Cup arrives. The conflict seems unlikely to end soon.

"For Tehran, this is not a short 12-day war or a contained round of escalation that can be paused and reset,” said Dr Sanam Vakil, director of the Middle East. (sic)

He further added, "This new stage of conflict is existential and clearly about regime survival. It is also unlikely to end quickly.” (sic)

FIFA are monitoring the developments in the conflict, but till now, they expect Iran to participate in the competition. The governing body has assured the full safety of every individual during the competition with every nation participating.

However, as per rules, FIFA can replace any participating nation if it is deemed necessary. If things escalate further, like Russia, FIFA could replace Iran as well with a team from the Asian Football Confederation.

On that basis, Iraq could qualify instead of Iran if they miss out on the playoffs. Otherwise, the UAE, who narrowly missed out on qualifying for the World Cup, would replace Iran. 

“We are in uncharted territory in that we are just over three months away from the start of the World Cup, and the hosts have just launched a war of aggression against a participating country," said Nick McGeehan of the human rights advocacy group. (sic)

He further added, "If Iran withdraws its team – an outcome that seems entirely plausible – Fifa is likely to breathe a sigh of relief given the scope for protest and unrest.” (sic)

A large section of the Iranian community lives in LA and Seattle, which could lead to massive protests in case Iran is replaced from the World Cup. It would globally harm the image of the competition and the host nation, which was given this huge responsibility of hosting the biggest sporting event in the world.