Donald Trump‘s comments on Iran’s participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup have added uncertainty to the situation. Trump stated that while Iran’s team is welcome, their presence could pose risks to their “life and safety”.
This comes after Iran’s Sports Minister, Ahmad Donyamali, expressed concerns about the team’s safety, citing the US and Israel’s strikes on the country that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Iran had qualified for the tournament, scheduled to take place in the US, Canada, and Mexico from June 11, and was set to face New Zealand, Belgium, and Egypt in the group stage. However, Donyamali stated that “under no circumstances” can Iran participate, citing the lack of safety for the team.
If Iran withdraws, FIFA’s regulations allow the governing body to choose a replacement, but it’s unclear who that would be. Potential candidates include Iraq or the United Arab Emirates, as the highest-ranked Asian nations not yet qualified.
Iran’s players and federation have pushed back publicly. In a statement posted to their official Instagram (and re‑shared by head coach Amir Ghalenoei), the team said the World Cup is governed by FIFA not any individual or host country and declared:
“Certainly, no one can exclude Iran’s national team from the World Cup.”
They added that Iran qualified on merit and framed safety guarantees as the host’s responsibility, responding to Trump’s warning about risks for the squad.
Iran’s senior team has qualified for the World Cup several times. Appearances include 1978, 1998, 2006, 2014, 2018, 2022 and 2026
