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  "path": "/sport/football/iran-withdraw-world-cup-us-conflict",
  "publishedAt": "2026-03-01T08:38:44.000Z",
  "site": "https://www.gbnews.com",
  "tags": [
    "Leeds coach sends message to fans who booed, whistled and chanted during Ramadan break in Man City match",
    "Tennis star banned for six years and nine months after admitting 30 breaches of the rules",
    "Graeme Souness trapped in Abu Dhabi and unable to return to the UK after strikes from Iran",
    "The GB News Editorial Charter"
  ],
  "textContent": "\n\n\nIran has signalled it may withdraw from this summer's World Cup following the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in joint US and Israeli airstrikes on Saturday.\n\nThe head of the Iranian Football Federation, Mehdi Taj, expressed serious reservations about the nation's involvement in the tournament during an appearance on Iranian television network Tehran.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n\"With what happened today and with that attack by the United States, it is unlikely that we can look forward to the cup,\" Taj stated, according to Spanish outlet Marca.\n\nHe noted, however, that ultimate responsibility for the decision rests with senior sports officials.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nTRENDING\n\nStories\n\nVideos\n\nYour Say\n\nThe threat emerges just 107 days before Iran are due to begin their campaign against New Zealand at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.\n\nThe military strikes targeted multiple locations across Iran, including three sites in Tehran where intelligence suggested senior officials had gathered.\n\nSaturday's operation followed weeks of escalating tensions and came in the aftermath of collapsed negotiations between Washington and Tehran over Iran's nuclear programme and potential sanctions relief.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nDemocrats criticised President Trump for proceeding without congressional approval, though White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt confirmed that key figures from both parties had received advance briefings.\n\nShould Iran ultimately decide to compete, the tournament could produce a highly charged encounter with the United States in Dallas on 3 July, provided both nations finish as runners-up in their respective groups.\n\nThe prospect of such a fixture has added further complexity to an already volatile situation.\n\n### LATEST SPORTS NEWS:\n\n\n\n\n  * Leeds coach sends message to fans who booed, whistled and chanted during Ramadan break in Man City match\n  * Tennis star banned for six years and nine months after admitting 30 breaches of the rules\n  * Graeme Souness trapped in Abu Dhabi and unable to return to the UK after strikes from Iran\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nFIFA officials have been left scrambling to address the crisis with the tournament set to take place across the United States, Canada and Mexico in a matter of months.\n\nSpeaking at an IFAB gathering in Wales on Saturday, FIFA general secretary Mattias Grafstrom acknowledged the gravity of the situation whilst urging caution.\n\n\"I read the news the same way you did this morning,\" he said.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n\"We had a meeting today and it would be premature to comment on that in detail.\"\n\nGrafstrom emphasised that the governing body would continue monitoring global developments, adding: \"We had a final draw in Washington where all teams participated and of course our focus is to have a safe World Cup with everybody participating.\"\n\nIran, placed in Group G, face Belgium and New Zealand in Los Angeles before concluding their group stage against Egypt in Seattle.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nThe team's planned base at Kino Sports Complex in Tucson, Arizona, now appears uncertain.\n\nPresident Trump announced Khamenei's death on Truth Social on Saturday morning, describing him as \"one of the most evil people in History\".\n\n\"This is not only Justice for the people of Iran, but for all Great Americans, and those people from many Countries throughout the World, that have been killed or mutilated by Khamenei and his gang of bloodthirsty THUGS,\" Trump wrote.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nHe characterised the moment as \"the single greatest chance for the Iranian people to take back their Country\".\n\nHowever, the Supreme Leader's death offers no guarantee of political transformation in Iran, with Tehran responding by launching retaliatory strikes across the Middle East.\n\nThe airstrikes follow a period earlier this year when Iran's authoritarian government killed thousands of its own citizens whilst attempting to suppress widespread protests and uprisings against Khamenei's rule.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n**Our Standards:The GB News Editorial Charter **",
  "title": "Iran 'threaten to withdraw from World Cup' amid US conflict"
}