Pull to refresh
Logo
Daily Brief
Following Why Ranks Sign Up
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 qualified as a non-host nation for the 2026 World Cup, then withdrew a year later—the first qualified nation in the modern era to do so for political reasons. Sports Minister Ahmad Donyamali announced the withdrawal three months after U.S.-Israeli military strikes killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and devastated the country's military infrastructure.

Updated May 30