In the aftermath of Iran's announcement not to participate in the World Cup, expectations for dramatic joining in China explode → 'Again' frustration "Can't go to North Korea, China and the U.S... Shame on you"

*This content was translated by AI.

Iran officially hinted at not attending the 2026 FIFA North-China U.S. World Cup, but China is not expected to be the owner of the empty seat. It has also been confirmed that China's expectations for an alternative participation in Iran's vacancy have virtually been canceled.

"Iran officially announced its withdrawal from the North Korea-China-US World Cup," Chinese media Sohu reported on the 12th (Korea Standard Time), "but the Chinese national team is not eligible to participate."

The media then said, "China is only 14th in the FIFA rankings in Asia. "Even in the third qualifying round, he has only nine points, and does not meet the conditions for a substitute qualification for the World Cup," he pointed out.

According to reports from the Guardian and Reuters on the 11th, Iranian Sports Minister Ahmad Doniamali said in an interview with state broadcasters that "he cannot participate in the World Cup under any circumstances," made clear. This is the government's first official position, 10 days after the U.S. and Israeli bombings killed Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

In addition, Minister Donia Mali said, "It is impossible to participate in the World Cup at a time when the corrupt regime assassinated our leader," adding, "The conditions for participation do not exist because the safety of Iranian players cannot be guaranteed." He also emphasized that "there can never be participation in competitions held in countries that are hostile environments," referring to the sacrifices of thousands of people in wars over the past few months.

Iran's declaration of absence has a significant impact. That's because FIFA President Gianni Infantino received a commitment from U.S. President Donald Trump to welcome Iran into the country. After meeting with President Trump at the White House, Infantino expressed his gratitude, saying, "Football has once again shown that it brings the world together," but the Iranian government rejected the U.S. offer immediately.

In the current situation, "Sohoo Dotcom" analyzed that Iraq will be the top alternative participation if Iran's absence is confirmed. According to FIFA regulations, if the team that qualifies for the finals leaves, the team with the highest performance in the continental qualifying round will have priority. As a result, Iraq, which advanced to the Asian Playoffs, is the top priority, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which scored 15 points in the round of 18 qualifiers, is the most likely candidate.

"There is no possibility that China will qualify for alternative participation," the media said. "China is not included in the candidate group itself because it not only scored low in the Asian qualifiers but also did not rank in the playoff rankings."

Even "Sohu Dotcom" pointed out, "Chinese fans should face it as a shame if they don't win it with their skills, even if they are given this kind of opportunity."

Initially, Iran was scheduled to play in a group with Belgium, Egypt and New Zealand at this World Cup on the U.S. mainland. Coincidentally, Iran's three group games will be held on the U.S. mainland. Depending on the World Cup match, there was a good possibility that Iran and the United States would face off in the tournament.

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*This content was translated by AI.