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Ahmad Donyamali

Ahmad Donyamali

Iranian Minister of Sport and Youth

Appears in 1 story

Notable Quotes

"Considering that this corrupt regime has assassinated our leader, under no circumstances can we participate in the World Cup." — Ahmad Donyamali on Iranian state television, March 11, 2026

"The players have no safety, and the conditions for participation simply don't exist." — Ahmad Donyamali, March 11, 2026

Stories

Iran withdraws from 2026 World Cup after U.S.-Israeli strikes kill supreme leader

Force in Play

Made official withdrawal announcement on March 11-12

Iran became the first non-host nation to qualify for the 2026 World Cup. A year later, it became the first qualified nation in the modern era to pull out for political reasons. Sports Minister Ahmad Donyamali announced on state television that Iran will not participate in the tournament hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico—three months after a joint U.S.-Israeli military campaign killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and devastated the country's military infrastructure.

Updated Mar 12