In Focus by The Hindu What happens to the FIFA World Cup if Iran were to withdraw?
Mar 25, 2026
Vijay Lokapally, veteran sports journalist and commentator, breaks down the FIFA World Cup dilemma as geopolitics intrudes on sport. He outlines how security, travel and logistics are strained. He discusses the hurdles of relocating matches, the credibility risks for organisers and the sporting loss if a top Asian team cannot participate.
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World Cup Hosting Faces Unprecedented Political Test
- FIFA faces an unprecedented political test as a host nation is directly involved in an active war that affects a qualified team’s participation.
- Vijay Lokapally highlights that the 2026 USA-hosted World Cup is the most politically impacted since the Cold War, making hosting and neutrality hugely challenging.
Avoid Relocating Matches To Mexico
- Avoid relocating Iran’s matches to Mexico because it would undermine the host’s authority and open a precedent of moving games mid-tournament.
- Lokapally urges that shifting venues undermines FIFA’s reputation and would create a Pandora’s box of relocation demands.
Federations Can't Override Government Travel Bans
- Sporting bodies lack authority to override sovereign government decisions on travel and security.
- Lokapally notes governments, not federations, often block teams (e.g., Bangladesh/India example), leaving FIFA limited in resolving state-driven withdrawals.