Iran is one of the earliest teams to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, after drawing 2-2 with Uzbekistan in the 8th match of the 3rd qualifying round of the Asian region.
This team ended the qualifying campaign with 23 points, leading Group A and officially participating in the biggest football playground on the planet for the 4th consecutive time.
However, prolonged political tensions between Iran and the US - the main host country of the 2026 World Cup - have raised questions about Iran's ability to not be allowed to enter the competition. The US is currently expected to host 78/104 matches of the tournament.
Some international sources have speculated that FIFA could consider removing Iran from the tournament if it cannot reach a special agreement on travel. However, up to this point, FIFA has not made any official statements.
In case Iran cannot participate, the UAE is the team that can be chosen as a replacement. This is the third-placed team in Group A of the 3rd qualifying round - a group with Iran at the top.
In terms of ranking and reasonableness, giving a spot to the UAE will be the simplest option, without affecting the tournament structure.
In addition, another option is to expand the number of teams that have won tickets from the 4th qualifying round of the Asian region - currently selecting the 2 teams with the best results. If they expand to 3 places, the Indonesian team will have more opportunities to participate in the 2026 World Cup if they perform well in the upcoming qualifiers.
