In Focus Podcast | What happens to the FIFA World Cup if Iran were to withdraw?

With the 2026 FIFA World Cup just months away, an escalating war in West Asia has put FIFA in an unprecedented bind. With co-host United States directly involved in the conflict, uncertainty now surrounds the participation of the Iran national football team.

Iran’s request to move its matches to Mexico underlines how deeply geopolitics is beginning to affect the tournament. If Iran is forced to withdraw, it would be the first such instance since 1950, raising serious questions about precedent, fairness and the limits of sporting neutrality.

In this episode of In Focus, we examine what this means for FIFA, the host nations and the World Cup itself.

Guest: Vijay Lokapally, veteran sports journalist

Host: Reuben Joe Joseph

Producer: Jude Weston

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