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The president of Iran’s soccer federation says he does not know if the national team can play 2026 FIFA World Cup matches in the United States following the surprise U.S. and Israeli bombardment of his country.
“What is certain is that after this attack, we cannot be expected to look forward to the World Cup with hope,” Mehdi Taj told sports portal Varzesh3 as Iran traded strikes with Israel as part of a widening war prompted by the bombardment.
The U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran continued for a second day on Sunday after the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei threw the future of the Islamic Republic into uncertainty and raised the risk of regional instability.
Iranian authorities say more than 200 people have been killed since the start of the U.S.-Israeli strikes. In southern Iran, at least 115 people were reported killed when a girls’ school was struck and dozens more were wounded, the local governor told Iranian state TV.
Iran fired missiles at targets in Israel and Gulf Arab states in retaliation. Israel pledged “non-stop” strikes against Iran’s leaders and military, while Iran vowed revenge for the killing of Khamenei.
Iran has been drawn in Group G at the World Cup and is scheduled to play in Los Angeles — where it faces New Zealand and Belgium on June 15 and 21, respectively — before it plays Egypt in Seattle on June 26.
The United States is hosting the tournament with Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19.
Fans from Iran were already banned from entering the U.S. in the first iteration of the travel ban announced by the Trump administration.
FIFA did not immediately reply to an email from The Associated Press over the current situation regarding Iran’s participation in the World Cup.
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