Donald Trump has warned that Iran’s football team should not come to the World Cup “for their own life and safety”.
In a post on Truth Social on Thursday, the US president wrote: “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’s comment comes just days after telling Fifa President Giovanni Infantino that the team would be welcome, despite the ongoing war in the Middle East.
In an Instagram post on Tuesday, Infantino confirmed he had spoken to Trump about the current situation in Iran.
The FIFA boss said: “During the discussions, President Trump reiterated that the Iranian team is, of course, welcome to compete in the tournament in the United States.“We all need an event like the Fifa World Cup to bring people together now more than ever, and I sincerely thank the President of the United States for his support, as it shows once again that football unites the world.”
The 2026 World Cup is set to take place in the summer, hosted by the USA, Canada and Mexico.
The US and Israel launched attacks on Iran at the end of February, killing Iran’s Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Iran’s Minister of Sports and Youth, Ahmad Donyamali, said in an interview with the IRIB Sports Network on Tuesday that Iran would not be partaking.
Donyamali said: “Given that this corrupt government has assassinated our leader, under no circumstances do we have the appropriate conditions to participate in the World Cup.
“Our boys are not safe, and conditions for participation do not exist.”
He added: “Over the past eight or nine months, two wars have been imposed on us and several thousand of our people have been killed and martyred. Therefore, we definitely do not have the possibility for participation.”
Iran is currently one of 48 teams in tournament and is scheduled to face New Zealand on June 15.
They have not officially withdrawn from the World Cup
