Iran Team Rejects Trump’s World Cup Safety Concerns, Questions U.S. Hosting Capabilities

GENEVA (AP) — Pushing back on U.S. President Donald Trump’s comments, Iran’s national soccer team says no one can exclude it from playing in the men’s World Cup in the United States.

Team Fires Back at U.S. President

Instead, a post on the team’s official Instagram account Thursday suggested maybe the U.S. Team should be excluded after Trump indicated that the host country couldn’t guarantee the safety of the Iranian players.

Trump’s Initial Remarks

Trump wrote on the social media site Truth Social: 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. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP.

Donald Trump, via Truth Social

World Cup Schedule and Concerns

Iran is set to play all three of its World Cup group games in the U.S., which is co-hosting the tournament with Mexico and Canada. The team is scheduled to play in Inglewood, California, against New Zealand on June 15 and Belgium on June 21, before finishing group play in Seattle against Egypt on June 26.

The regional war has position doubt on Iran’s ability to fulfil its World Cup entry, and sports minister Ahmad Donyamali told state TV this week the current circumstances meant it was not possible to play.

FIFA’s Authority

But the Iran team’s riposte on Instagram confirmed it still wants to participate, and pointed out that the tournament is run by FIFA — not Trump or the U.S.

“The World Cup is a historic and international event and its governing body is FIFA — not any individual, country,” the post said. “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.”

Iran National Soccer Team, via Instagram

Mixed Signals from the U.S. President

Trump’s statements have been inconsistent. He previously stated I really don’t care if Iran plays, then assured FIFA President Gianni Infantino at the White House that Iran’s team was welcome.

Iran’s Soccer Standing

Iran is a strong competitor in Asian soccer, currently ranked No. 20 in the world by FIFA and has qualified for its fourth consecutive World Cup.

Looking Ahead

Iranian soccer officials had planned to use a tournament base camp in Arizona, at the Kino Sports Complex in Tucson. Before the World Cup, Iranian soccer officials are due to attend FIFA’s annual congress on April 30 in Vancouver. The Iranian federation was unable to attend meetings in Atlanta last week to help teams prepare for the 48-nation tournament.

FAQ

• Will Iran participate in the 2026 World Cup? The Iranian team has stated its intention to participate, despite concerns raised by President Trump.
• What are President Trump’s concerns? President Trump has expressed concerns about the safety of the Iranian team while in the United States.
• Who governs the World Cup? FIFA is the governing body of the World Cup, not any individual country.

The situation remains fluid, but Iran’s firm stance underscores its determination to compete on the world stage despite the political complexities. The focus now shifts to FIFA and the U.S. Government to ensure a safe and secure environment for all participating teams.