Iran national football team has insisted that no country or individual can prevent it from participating in the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup, responding to comments by Donald Trump suggesting that the team’s “life and safety” could be at risk in the United States.
In a statement shared on social media on Thursday, the Iranian team said the World Cup is governed by FIFA and not by any single country or political figure.
The response came after Trump raised concerns about Iran’s presence at the tournament, which will be co-hosted by United States, Canada and Mexico later this year.
Trump had earlier told FIFA president Gianni Infantino that Iranian players would be welcome at the tournament despite the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. However, he later wrote on his Truth Social platform that although the Iranian team was welcome, he did not think it was appropriate for them to attend because of safety concerns.
Reacting to the remarks, the Iranian team said the World Cup is a historic global competition and decisions about participation lie solely with FIFA.
The team also pointed out that it qualified for the tournament through strong performances and a series of important victories.
According to the statement, no one has the authority to exclude Iran from the competition, adding that the only country that should face questions is any host nation unable to guarantee the safety of participating teams.
The debate comes amid heightened tensions following the conflict triggered by joint US-Israeli strikes on February 28, which has raised uncertainty about Iran’s involvement in the tournament.
In a follow-up post on Truth Social, Trump attempted to reassure fans and participating teams that the event would be safe.
He said the United States was looking forward to hosting the World Cup and added that ticket sales for the tournament were already extremely strong.
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