Former midfielder Keisuke Honda lost an advertising deal with a US company after publicly backing the Iranian national team's participation in the 2026 World Cup.
The Iranian national team declared no one could remove them from the 2026 World Cup, while also implying that host nation US should be disqualified for failing to ensure the security of participating teams.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino stated that President Donald Trump affirmed the Iranian national team is still welcome in the US for the 2026 World Cup, despite ongoing military conflict between the two nations.
Coach Graham Arnold suggests FIFA postpone Iraq's playoff match until closer to the 2026 World Cup, as Middle East conflict severely impacts preparations.
US President Donald Trump declared he "really doesn't care" if Iran participates in the 2026 World Cup, following their absence from a FIFA preparatory meeting.
According to veteran forward Thomas Muller, the German national team is not strong enough to be considered a title contender at the upcoming World Cup.
Iran's Football Federation leaves open the possibility of not participating in the 2026 World Cup, following the death of the country's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in US and Israeli airstrikes.
The death of a drug lord has plunged Guadalajara, one of the host cities for the 2026 World Cup, into chaos, leading to numerous postponed matches and advisories from several governments for their citizens to avoid the area.
A cross-party group of UK Members of Parliament has urged FIFA to remove the United States from its role as a host nation and participant in the 2026 World Cup, citing recent controversial political actions.
