Iran’s national football team has called for the United States to be excluded from the 2026 FIFA World Cup in response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s remarks about Iran’s participation. Iran, already qualified, is set to play group-stage matches in Los Angeles and Seattle between June 15 and June 26. However, the team’s involvement is now uncertain amid escalating geopolitical tensions.
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Earlier, Trump had stated that Iran would be welcome to compete. However, following the outbreak of hostilities between the two nations, he suggested that it might not be appropriate for the team to attend the tournament. “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 on his Truth Social platform.
In response to Trump’s comments, Iran’s national team issued a statement on Instagram, emphasizing that decisions on participation in the tournament rest with football’s governing body, not any political authority. “The World Cup is a historic and international event, and its governing body is FIFA – not any individual or country,” the team wrote. “Iran’s national team, with strength and a series of decisive victories achieved by the brave sons of Iran, was among the first teams to qualify for this major tournament.”
The statement added that no country has the authority to remove Iran from the tournament and suggested that a host nation unable to guarantee security should be the one under scrutiny. “Certainly, no one can exclude Iran’s national team from the World Cup; the only country that could be excluded is one that merely carries the title of ‘host’ yet lacks the ability to provide security for the teams participating in this global event.”
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So far, FIFA has not made any official decision regarding Iran’s status in the tournament. However, tournament regulations allow FIFA to intervene if extraordinary circumstances arise. According to the governing body’s rules, it can “decide on the matter at its sole discretion and take whatever action is deemed necessary,” which could include replacing a qualified team with another national association if required. With the World Cup scheduled to begin in June and co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, FIFA now finds itself in a difficult situation as it attempts to balance sporting integrity with rising geopolitical tensions.
