Iran Sports Minister: 'Maybe the Decision is Not to Go' — Participation Hinges on US Safety Guarantees With 51 Days to Kickoff

Iran's Sports and Youth Minister Ahmad Donyamali issued a markedly cautious public statement on April 21, saying 'We have to be ready, but maybe the decision is not to go' — the most explicit acknowledgment yet from Iran's government that non-participation remains a live option. Donyamali stated that Iran will only travel to the United States if verifiable player safety guarantees are provided, and emphasized that the final decision rests with the government and the Supreme National Security Council rather than the football federation. The statement came two weeks after the April 8 ceasefire brokered by Pakistan, which had briefly raised hopes that Iran's security concerns might soften. FIFA President Infantino had declared Iran 'coming for sure' on April 18 at CNBC's Invest in America Forum — directly contradicted by Donyamali's language 72 hours later. The FIFA Congress in Vancouver on April 30 — nine days away — remains the formal decision point, where Iran's Group G schedule (June 15 vs New Zealand at SoFi Stadium, LA; June 21 vs Belgium at SoFi; June 26 vs Egypt at Lumen Field, Seattle) remains officially unchanged. Iran's training base at Kino Sports Complex in Tucson, Arizona was confirmed earlier in April despite the political uncertainty.