War and hardship dampen Iran’s World Cup mood

TEHRAN: Interest in the 2026 World Cup appears subdued in parts of Iran, where conflict, economic difficulties and travel complications facing the national team have tempered the build-up to the tournament.

In a Tehran neighbourhood lined with stores selling football shirts and sports equipment, some fans were still showing excitement. Ten-year-old Helma, wearing a bracelet in the colours of the Iranian flag, said she was backing the national side with confidence.

"I’m supporting Iran because it’s always the champion!"

Her mother, holding a shopping bag with a Team Melli jersey, said they had come to buy outfits because Helma was due to appear in a video clip in support of the side. She added: "We came to buy Team Melli outfits for the shoot."

But that enthusiasm was not widely shared, according to accounts from Tehran and elsewhere. The weeks of war with Israel and the United States, one of the tournament’s co-hosts, along with continuing economic hardship and faltering efforts to bring the conflict to a final end, have overshadowed the tournament for many Iranians.

Houman, a 17-year-old employee at a sports shop in the same district, said Portugal shirts were selling the most, followed by Spain and Brazil. He said this edition of the World Cup felt different in Iran and that public enthusiasm was weaker than in previous tournaments.

A difficult year for fans and players

Iran’s campaign has unfolded after an especially hard year for the country. It began with anti-government protests, which the government described as foreign-backed riots, while rights groups said the response involved a deadly crackdown. The subsequent US-Israeli strikes that triggered the war deepened an economic crisis marked by hyperinflation and a sharp decline in the value of the currency.

The national side has also run into logistical problems before the tournament. Their US visas were delayed until the night before departure. Iran’s squad was required to shift its tournament base to Mexico, and Tehran’s ambassador to Mexico said on Saturday that even after receiving visas, the team would have to enter and leave US territory on the same day as any match played there.

Iran are due to open their World Cup campaign in Los Angeles against New Zealand.

Muted mood despite hopes on the pitch

Shervin, a 42-year-old photographer from Tehran, said the current mood had made it hard to care about football.

"In Iran, no one truly cares about football now, just as no one seems to care about the hardship and difficult living conditions of the Iranian people,"

He added: "It makes me angry."

Mohammad Pahlevan, an 18-year-old high school student wearing an AC Milan shirt, said the circumstances looked especially hard for Iranian players because they must compete in a country with which Iran is in conflict. Even so, he said Team Melli had been fortunate with their group and believed they could advance beyond the first round.

Ali, a 49-year-old from the northern city of Tonekabon who described himself as a devoted football supporter, said this year felt different after decades of following the sport. "As someone who has loved football and followed every World Cup since 1994, it’s heartbreaking to realise that I feel no excitement at all for the upcoming tournament," he said.