From 1930 to 2026: How were previous World Cups affected by wars and boycotts?

With the ongoing and escalating military conflict between Iran and the United States, and growing fears of the region sliding into a wider confrontation involving other countries, the repercussions of war undoubtedly extend beyond politics and security to raise questions in the world of sports as well, specifically regarding the fate of the World Cup — the world’s biggest football event.

With less than 100 days remaining until the start of the 2026 World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico from June 11 to July 19, a recurring question arises whenever international conflicts escalate: Can football remain outside the realm of political calculations, or will geopolitical crises impose their influence on the world’s most-watched tournament?

As the three host nations prepare to welcome millions of fans to a historic edition featuring 48 teams and 104 matches across 16 stadiums for the first time, history reminds us that the World Cup has not always been immune to the influence of politics, wars, and boycotts. Over the decades, it has witnessed international boycotts and crises that have cast a shadow over the tournament’s organisation.

The first boycotts in World Cup history

In the inaugural 1930 World Cup, held in Uruguay, most European teams were absent, not due to a direct political boycott, but because of the difficulty and high cost of traveling across the Atlantic at the time. This limited European participation in the first World Cup in history.

Four years later, the 1934 World Cup in Italy saw a contrasting political stance, as Uruguay decided to boycott the tournament in protest against the absence of European teams from the previous edition.

The 1938 World Cup in France was also marked by political tensions, as Argentina and Uruguay boycotted the tournament in protest against FIFA’s decision to hold it in Europe for the second consecutive time. Spain was absent due to the civil war raging in the country at the time.

World War II cancels two tournaments

Football hadn’t recovered for long when, just a few years later, it faced its biggest test yet with the outbreak of World War II in 1939.

With most of the world’s nations joining the war and stadiums being converted into military installations or training centers, FIFA was forced to cancel the 1942 and 1946 World Cups. This marked the first and only time the tournament was suspended due to a world war.

The tournament returned in the 1950 World Cup, hosted by Brazil, after a 12-year hiatus.

Even this post-war return was not without its consequences. Germany and Japan were barred from participating due to sanctions imposed on them after World War II, while Argentina also opted out due to disagreements with the Brazilian Football Confederation.

In modern times, the influence of politics resurfaced when FIFA decided to exclude Russia from international competitions, including the qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup hosted by Qatar, following its invasion of Ukraine.

A year later, FIFA turned a blind eye to Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza in 2023, without excluding its national team from the 2026 World Cup qualifiers or other international competitions.

The 2026 World Cup faces a difficult test

All these facts and historical precedents bring back the most important question as the 2026 World Cup approaches: Could the current war in Iran and the Middle East cast a shadow over the upcoming tournament?

Although canceling the World Cup remains a highly unlikely possibility, especially given that the tournament is being hosted by three stable countries, any geopolitical escalation could present various challenges, such as tightened security measures, travel restrictions for some fans, or organizational adjustments related to diplomatic relations between participating nations.

In any case, the World Cup remains an exceptional global event that often strives to remain aloof from political conflicts, even though history shows that such a distance has not always been possible.

Featured image via the Canary