AFC strips Iran of hosting rights for World Cup Qualifier against Qatar

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has announced that the World Cup 2026 qualifying match between Iran and Qatar will be held in a neutral country.

The match was initially scheduled to take place on October 15 at Imam Reza Stadium in Iran’s northeastern city of Mashhad.

The AFC has requested that Iran propose an alternative venue for the match due to disruptions in flights amid the escalating situation in the region.

The Iranian Football Federation has confirmed the news and is currently working to persuade the AFC to reconsider its decision.

The Federation is preparing a formal protest to submit to the AFC once the decision is officially confirmed. However, it appears that the match venue will indeed be moved to a third country.

Iran argues the AFC has insisted on relocating the game despite the successful hosting of previous matches in the central Iranian city of Isfahan.

This decision comes just weeks after the Iranian Football Federation had designated Imam Reza Stadium as the host for the crucial qualifier.

The relocation will only affect the match against Qatar, and future home games for the Iranian national team will continue to be held in Iran.

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