Selected Iran may not take part in the upcoming world championship in 2026. ESPN reports this.

According to Dzherel, another team from the Asian Football Confederation may take the place of the Iranian national team.

The most likely candidate for replacement is the Iraqi national team, as 31 teams will play in the final of the intercontinental play-off against the defeat of the Bolivia-Suriname rivalry..

If Iraq compromises on this match, it can withdraw its ticket to the World Cup in place of Iran. Once the Iraqi team wins and qualifies for the tournament, the next contender will be the United Arab Emirates team.

It is significant that earlier the UAE lost to Iraq in the finals of the Asian qualification.

It was previously reported that the Iranian Football Federation strongly opposed Trump's participation in the 2026 emergency due to possible withdrawal from the tournament.