US President Donald Trump said Iran’s national football team is welcome at the 2026 FIFA World Cup but warned it may not be appropriate for them to participate due to safety concerns amid escalating Middle East tensions.
US President Donald Trump has said that Iran’s national football team would technically be allowed to participate in the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup, but he believes it may not be appropriate for the team to attend due to safety concerns. His comments come at a time of heightened tensions in the Middle East and uncertainty over whether Iran will take part in the global tournament.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is scheduled to be hosted jointly by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, with matches set to begin on June 11. Iran had been expected to compete in the tournament and had fixtures scheduled in the group stage against New Zealand and Belgium in Los Angeles on June 15 and June 21, respectively. The team was also due to face Egypt in Seattle on June 26.
However, Iran’s participation has been thrown into doubt following a major escalation in regional conflict. The United States and Israel recently launched military strikes on Iran, which reportedly resulted in the death of the country’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The development triggered a sharp response from Tehran and further intensified geopolitical tensions across the region.
In retaliation, Iran launched missiles and drones targeting Israel and several Gulf Arab nations that host US military bases. The attacks reportedly included strikes directed toward Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. The escalating conflict has raised widespread concerns about regional security and the potential risks for Iranian athletes traveling abroad.
Amid this situation, Trump shared his view on the matter through a post on the social media platform Truth Social. While stating that Iran’s national football team would not be barred from participating in the World Cup, he suggested that attending the tournament might not be in their best interest given the current circumstances.
“The Iran national soccer team is welcome to the World Cup, but I really don’t believe it is appropriate that they be there, for their own life and safety,” Trump wrote in his message.
Trump’s remarks followed earlier statements from FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who indicated that the US leader had previously conveyed that Iran would be allowed to compete in the global event. According to Infantino, the tournament’s organizers have not imposed any formal restrictions on the team’s participation.
Despite this, officials in Iran have already expressed serious reservations about taking part in the competition. Iran’s Minister of Sports and Youth, Ahmad Donyamali, said earlier this week that the country currently lacks the conditions necessary to send its team to the World Cup.
Speaking to the IRIB Sports Network, Donyamali stated that the current political and security environment makes participation extremely difficult. He also referenced the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader as a major factor behind the government’s stance.
“Given that this corrupt government has assassinated our leader, under no circumstances do we have the appropriate conditions to participate in the World Cup,” he said. Donyamali also raised concerns about the safety of the Iranian players if they were to travel abroad under the present circumstances.
“Our boys are not safe, and conditions for participation do not exist,” he added.
If Iran ultimately decides to withdraw from the 2026 FIFA World Cup, it would mark a major development in international football. The team has appeared in the last three World Cups and was expected to make its fourth consecutive appearance in the upcoming tournament.
FIFA regulations state that if a qualified team withdraws from the competition, the governing body has the authority to select a replacement. However, it remains unclear which team might take Iran’s place should such a situation arise.
For now, uncertainty continues to surround Iran’s participation as geopolitical tensions remain high and global sports authorities closely monitor developments.
Source : BBC
