Mehdi Taj, the president of the Iranian Football Federation, acknowledged that the status of his country's national team participating in the 2026 World Cup remains undecided, given the recent military developments in Iran.

Taj said in statements reported by local media that the recent events make it difficult to confidently talk about participating in the World Cup, pointing out that the current situation casts a shadow over sports preparations.

These statements come at a time when military strikes between Iran and Israel continue, amid notable escalation in the region, raising questions about the impact on the Iranian team's participation in the global tournament.

The Iranian national team is set to compete in Group G of the 2026 World Cup finals, starting their campaign against New Zealand on June 15 in Inglewood, California. They will then face Belgium on June 21, before concluding their group stage matches against Egypt on June 26 in Seattle.

The tournament will be jointly organized by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, from June 11 to July 19, 2026.

The picture remains unclear regarding the final decision, pending the outcomes of political developments in the coming period.