Trump says inappropriate for Iran to be at soccer World Cup

U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday that the Iran national soccer team is welcome to participate in the 2026 FIFA World Cup but expressed concerns about their safety.

Iran has qualified for the 48-team tournament, which will be held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico from June 11. The team is scheduled to play two group matches in Los Angeles and one in Seattle.

“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 Truth Social.

In response, the Iranian Football Association (FFIRI) issued a statement on social media, saying that the United States should not host the World Cup if it cannot guarantee the safety of players.

“The World Cup is a historic and international event, and its custodian is FIFA, not any country,” the statement read. “Some so-called celebrities want Iran's team excluded from the World Cup, but if any country should be excluded, it is a host country that cannot ensure the safety of the teams taking part.”

Trump later emphasized that any threat to players would not come from the United States. “It will be the Greatest and Safest Sporting Event in American History. All Players, Officials, and Fans will be treated like the 'STARS' that they are!” he wrote in another post.

FIFA, soccer’s global governing body, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Iran’s sports minister previously said participation would not be possible after the U.S. launched airstrikes alongside Israel against Tehran, killing the Islamic Republic’s supreme leader. A withdrawal by Iran would be unprecedented in the modern era and could leave FIFA scrambling to find a replacement team.

Earlier this week, Australia granted humanitarian visas to five Iranian women soccer players who sought asylum during the Women’s Asian Cup. The players had faced criticism on Iranian state TV for failing to sing the national anthem during a match against South Korea on March 2.

Trump had urged Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to grant asylum to the team members, offering that the U.S. would provide it if Australia did not.

-Reporting by Bhargav Acharya in Toronto and Nick Mulvenney in Sydney; Editing by Caitlin Webber, Scott Malone, and Lincoln Feast/Reuters