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Donald Trump on Thursday (March 12, 2026) suggested that Iran national football team should consider pulling out of the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup to ensure the safety of its players and staff.
In a post on Truth Social, the social media platform he owns, Trump said Iran would technically be allowed to take part in the tournament in the United States. However, he added that he did not think it would be appropriate for the team to attend “for their own life and safety.”
All three of Iran’s scheduled group-stage fixtures are set to be played in the United States. The team is due to begin its Group G campaign in Inglewood, California, against New Zealand national football team on June 15, followed by a match against Belgium national football team on June 21. Their final group game is planned for June 26 in Seattle, where they will face Egypt national football team.
The remarks come amid heightened regional tensions. The United States and Israel launched airstrikes against Iran on February 28, an operation that reportedly killed Iran’s long-serving supreme leader Ali Khamenei along with several senior officials.
Iran’s sports minister, Ahmad Donyamali, reportedly told state television earlier this week that the country might not take part in the tournament following Khamenei’s death.
The White House did not immediately clarify what Trump meant by the safety concerns referenced in his post. His statement also appeared to differ from comments made during a recent discussion with Gianni Infantino, president of FIFA.
In an Instagram post earlier this week, Infantino said Trump had reaffirmed that Iran’s national team would be welcome to compete in the tournament in the United States. He added that global events like the World Cup have the power to unite people and thanked the U.S. president for his support.
The expanded 48-team tournament, the largest in World Cup history, will take place from June 11 to July 19 across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Iran had planned to hold a training camp in Tucson, Arizona, before the start of the group stage.
Currently ranked 20th in the world, Iran secured qualification for the tournament in March last year as one of the leading teams from the Asian Football Confederation. At the previous World Cup in Doha, Qatar, they were knocked out in the group stage after a 1–0 defeat to the United States.
Despite broader travel restrictions imposed by Trump on Iran last June, Iranian athletes and coaches were exempted from the ban.
