UNITED States President Donald Trump has warned that Iran’s national football team should consider skipping the 2026 FIFA World Cup, citing safety concerns over their participation.
In a post shared on his social media platform on Thursday, March 12, Trump said the Iranian team would be welcome at the tournament but questioned whether it was appropriate for them to attend under 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.
Trump’s comment appears to mark a shift in tone following earlier assurances that Iran would be welcome at the tournament, which will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The remarks came amid rising tensions between Iran and the United States after Washington, alongside Israel, carried out airstrikes on Iranian targets on February 28.
Trump later confirmed the operations, with subsequent reports confirming that Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, was killed in the strikes.
Following the attacks, Iran claimed that nearly 10,000 civilian sites had been bombed, resulting in more than 1,300 civilian deaths since the conflict began. Tehran has since launched retaliatory strikes across parts of the Gulf region and Israel, escalating hostilities.
Amid the crisis, Iran’s Sports Minister, Ahmad Donyamali, announced on Wednesday, March 11, that the country would not participate in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
“Considering that this corrupt regime has assassinated our leader, under no circumstances can we participate in the World Cup,” the minister reportedly told state television, adding that the safety of Iranian players and supporters could not be guaranteed.
Iran had already secured qualification for the expanded 48-team tournament and was drawn in Group G alongside Belgium, Egypt, and New Zealand.
All three of Iran’s group matches were scheduled to take place in the United States, including two in Los Angeles and one in Seattle.
The president of Iran’s football federation, Mehdi Taj, had also said it was unlikely the team would participate, though no formal withdrawal has been communicated to FIFA.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino earlier said Trump assured him that Iran would be welcome at the tournament, stressing that global sporting events such as the World Cup should help bring people together.
If Iran formally withdraws, FIFA’s tournament regulations allow the governing body to select a replacement team at its discretion, potentially reshaping Group G. Possible replacements include the Iraq national football team and the United Arab Emirates national football team.
Mustapha Usman is an investigative journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: musman@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M