Iran’s national football team has responded sharply to U.S. President Donald Trump after he suggested that Iran should avoid participating in the 2026 FIFA World Cup for “their own life and safety”, saying no country can prevent it from playing in a tournament governed by FIFA.
“The World Cup is a historic and international event and its governing body is FIFA, not any individual or country,” the team said in a statement posted on its official account.
The response came after Trump wrote on Truth Social that Iran’s team would technically be welcome at the tournament but questioned whether it should participate.
“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.
Reacting to the comments, the Iranian team said it had qualified for the tournament through “decisive victories” and no one could exclude it from the competition.
“Certainly, no one can exclude Iran’s national team from the World Cup,” the statement said, adding that the responsibility of a host country is to ensure the safety of participating teams.
Iran secured qualification for the tournament by topping Group A in the third round of Asian qualifying last year, marking its fourth consecutive appearance at the World Cup.
The 2026 World Cup will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19, with Iran scheduled to play three matches in the United States.
However, Iran’s participation has come under doubt amid escalating tensions in the region.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino said this week that he had met Trump, who assured him that Iran would be welcome to participate in the tournament.
But Iran’s sports minister Ahmad Donyamali later said the country may not take part following airstrikes by the United States and Israel.
“Given that this corrupt government has assassinated our leader and created extreme insecurity, we cannot participate in the World Cup. The players have no safety, and the conditions for participation simply don’t exist,” Donyamali said on Iranian state television.
Iran Football Federation president Mehdi Taj has also expressed uncertainty over the country’s participation, saying it was difficult to look at the World Cup “with hope” after the recent attacks.
-IANS
