Well-known football expert and functional Alisher Nikimbayev commented on questions about the fate of the ticket that could be vacated if the Iranian national team refuses to participate in the 2026 World Cup. In his opinion, there is still much talk about the situation, but the main thing is that there is no official decision, and the rest is speculation and scenarios.
No official statement, just speculation for now
Nikimbayev first openly stated one point: the Iranian Football Federation has not yet officially confirmed that "we will not participate in the World Cup." Therefore, what the Minister of Sports said will automatically become just a statement, while the document and the federation's decision are a different matter.
Nevertheless, the expert emphasized that if hypothetically events unfold exactly this way, meaning Iran will indeed withdraw from the competition, then Iraq will be the first to be mentioned as the main contender. Because Iraq is considered the team that reached the intercontinental final in the qualifying process, and the "turn" logic works precisely here.
The voucher still stays in Asia
Nikimbayev's most firm belief is that the vacant seat won't go to another continent. According to him, the various rumors about this are just empty words. The quota allocated for the 2026 World Cup will be decided within the framework of the Asian Confederation.
The expert explained that if the decision goes in Iraq's favor, then the chain of transition matches in the playoffs will not change either: if Iraq moves up, the UAE national team will go to the transition matches instead. The reason is simple - the Emirates lost to Iraq in the transition stage in the Asian region, and the queue principle works this way.
Conclusion
In short, for now, the most correct position is to look at the official decision, not the hype. But if events really go towards Iran's withdrawal from participation, in Nikimbayev's interpretation, the most realistic scenario is this: the number one candidate is Iraq, and the quota will remain in Asia in any case.
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