World Cup 2026 hangs by a thread as crises pile up for FIFA

FIFA’s problems are mounting. The 2026 World Cup has just endured its most critical week yet, and the crisis is far from over. Soccer’s global governing body has tried to project calm and normalcy despite a string of alarming developments: violence in Mexico and joint airstrikes by the United States and Israel on Iran.

Both events inevitably cast a shadow over a tournament that has faced questions since the day it was awarded.

Violence in Mexico raises early alarm

The most turbulent week for the 2026 World Cup began Feb. 22, 2026, when Mexican authorities launched a military operation to capture Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as “El Mencho,” the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel.

The cartel’s aggressive response triggered road blockades, arson attacks, looting and killings across 20 Mexican states. The violence was particularly intense in Jalisco, a key hub of the unrest that is also scheduled to host four World Cup matches and roughly one million visitors next June.

Despite the chaos, FIFA president Gianni Infantino said he remains confident in Mexico’s ability to organize the tournament and ruled out any change of host venues. Mexican authorities echoed that message.

But the damage was already done. Major international outlets, including the Daily Mail, L’Equipe, Reuters, CNN and the BBC, highlighted the wave of violence and questioned whether the tournament could proceed as planned. One headline in the British press even suggested FIFA had no choice but to strip Mexico of the World Cup.

Strikes on Iran deepen uncertainty

The situation escalated further on Saturday, Feb. 28, when a series of joint strikes by Israel and the United States hit Tehran, Iran’s capital.

According to the Iranian Red Crescent, 201 people were killed, including the country’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In response, Iran launched missiles at U.S. military bases in Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Jordan and Oman.

The unprecedented escalation in the Middle East carries major geopolitical, economic and security implications, and it also intersects with the World Cup.

Iran is scheduled to play all three of its group stage matches in the United States, two in Los Angeles and one in Seattle. But Iranian fans still do not know whether they will be able to attend because of a travel ban affecting Iranian citizens that has been in place since June 2025.

“It is unlikely we can look at the World Cup with optimism,” Mehdi Taj, president of the Iranian Football Federation, told Iranian state television, leaving the country’s participation in the tournament uncertain.

FIFA tries to contain the crisis

FIFA officials have begun working behind the scenes to address the mounting concerns.

“We had a meeting today, and it is premature to comment in detail, but we will continue to closely monitor developments around all issues worldwide,” FIFA secretary general Mattias Grafstrom said during the annual general meeting of the International Football Association Board in Cardiff.

Warning signs continue to accumulate. After news broke of the attacks in Iran, AS contacted two FIFA sources. Their response was to wait for further developments and route questions through official channels.

In other words, more time is needed. FIFA is expected to release a more detailed position in the coming days, beginning Monday, March 2.

For now, the message remains the same as it has in recent days: the World Cup is still on.

But the broader mood, both on the street and in public opinion, suggests the tournament may be hanging by a thread.

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