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The Iranian men’s national soccer team fended off speculation about the team’s status for the 2026 World Cup, which is largely being held in the United States, by issuing a statement Thursday saying “no one can rule out” the team from the competition.
The statement posted on social media followed remarks by Iran’s sports minister questioning the team’s participation and earlier remarks by President Donald Trump that the team would be welcome but that it might not be “appropriate” as the Middle East conflict continues.
Mehdi Taremi of Iran celebrates after scoring a goal during the 2026 FIFA World Cup Asian Qualifiers Group A match against Uzbekistan at Azadi Stadium on March 25, 2025, in Tehran, Iran. (Fatemeh Bahrami/Anadolu)
“The World Cup is a historic and international event, and its governing body is FIFA, not a specific country. The Iranian national team, with its strength and a series of decisive victories won by the courageous sons of Iran, was among the first teams to qualify for this major tournament,” the statement posted on Instagram said.
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“Certainly, no one can exclude the Iranian national team from the World Cup; the only country that could be excluded is the one that simply has the title of ‘host’ but does not have the capacity to ensure the security of the teams participating in this global event.”
Iran is scheduled to play in Inglewood, California, against New Zealand on June 15 and Belgium on June 21 before finishing its group match against Egypt in Seattle on June 26. The United States will host the tournament along with Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19.
Trump was indifferent last week when asked about Iran’s participation in the World Cup, tell Politico“I really don’t care.”
FIFA President Gianni Infantino and President Donald Trump arrive on the red carpet before the final draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, December 5, 2025. (Brian Snyder/Reuters via Imagn Images)
TRUMP SAYS IRAN’S PARTICIPATION IN WORLD CUP MAY NOT BE ‘APPROPRIATE,’ WHILE ADDING MEN’S TEAM IS STILL ‘WELCOMED’
But earlier this week, FIFA President Gianni Infantino said Trump had “reiterated” to him during their recent discussions that the Iranian soccer team would be “welcome to compete” in the United States.
“We also talked about the current situation in Iran and the fact that the Iranian team has qualified to participate in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. During the discussions, President Trump reiterated that the Iranian team is of course welcome to participate in the tournament in the United States,” Infantino said in a message shared on Instagram.
“We all need an event like the FIFA World Cup to bring people together 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.”
Iran’s sports minister later claimed that a team could not be sent to the World Cup.
Iranian players celebrate after a 2026 FIFA World Cup Asian Qualification Group A match against Uzbekistan at Azadi Stadium on March 25, 2025, in Tehran, Iran, after securing their qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a 2-2 draw against Uzbekistan. (Fatemeh Bahrami/Anadolu)
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“Considering that this corrupt regime assassinated our leader, we cannot participate in the World Cup under any circumstances,” Sports Minister Ahmad Donyamali said on state television. via Reuters.
Trump doubled down in a Truth Social article on Thursday that Iran would be “welcome” to participate in the World Cup, but added, “I really don’t think it’s appropriate for them to be there, for their own lives and safety.”
Iran qualified for its fourth consecutive World Cup as the 20th ranked team in the world according to FIFA. The Iranian federation was unable to attend meetings in Atlanta last week to help teams prepare for the 48-nation tournament, but is scheduled to attend FIFA’s annual congress in Canada next month.
