Richarlison denies he will boycott 2026 World Cup over Iran conflict

Brazil and Tottenham Hotspur striker Richarlison has denied he is planning on sitting out the 2026 World Cup amid rising tensions in the Middle East. Iran has recently come under attack from the United States - one of three co-hosts for this summer's tournament - and Israel, leading to the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

A falsified image featuring Richarlison went viral after a post first circulated by X parody account Topskills Sports UK claimed he planned to boycott, alleging he said: "I won't play the World Cup until the fight is over." Richarlison issued a statement on social media to debunk the rumour: "Just to be clear, because the fake news has gone too far: I never made that statement," he said.

"Although I am against any kind of war and conflict, I never said I wouldn't play for the Brazilian national team at the World Cup. I hope everyone who shared this lie takes it back and deletes their posts." The statement followed one from the Brazilian government condemning the U.S.' involvement in Iran.

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