Trump Walks Back Welcome After Iran Says It Won’t Play in U.S.-Hosted World Cup

A day after Iran’s sports minister declared his nation would not participate in the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup, President Trump said Thursday that Iran’s national soccer team should not compete in the tournament “for their own life and safety.”Mr. Trump posted on his Truth Social platform that Iran technically remains welcome to compete but suggested it would not be appropriate for the team to travel to the United States given the volatile situation surrounding the Middle East conflict. The United States is co-hosting the World Cup with Mexico and Canada.“Iran remains welcome to compete,” Mr. Trump wrote. “But I don’t believe it is appropriate that they be there for their own life and safety.”The meaning of the president’s statement was not entirely clear, but it signals a shift in tone just days after World Cup officials said the White House had expressed support for Iran’s participation in the 48-team tournament.Earlier this week, Gianni Infantino, president of FIFA, said he had spoken with Mr. Trump about preparations for the World Cup and was assured that Iran would be allowed to compete.Iran’s status in the 2026 FIFA World Cup has been in question since the joint attacks in the Middle East by the United States and Israel began on Feb. 28. Iran’s leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed during one of the attacks, and Iran has retaliated with counterattacks that have targeted several countries participating in the World Cup, including Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Jordan.Despite the escalating geopolitical tension, World Cup officials hoped to keep the tournament intact, and thought they had Mr. Trump’s support. “During the discussions, President Trump reiterated that the Iranian team is, of course, welcome to compete in the tournament in the United States,” Mr. Infantino said in a social media post Tuesday. “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.”But only hours after Mr. Infantino’s remarks, Iran’s sports minister, Ahmad Donyamali, announced that his country had no intention of sending a team to the tournament, citing the escalating conflict and the recent killing of Iran’s supreme leader.“Considering that this corrupt regime has assassinated our leader, under no circumstances can we participate in the World Cup,” Mr. Donyamali said during an interview on Iranian state television. “Our children are not safe and, fundamentally, such conditions for participation do not exist.”Until Thursday, Mr. Trump said he had no issue with Iran competing in the World Cup. “I really don’t care,” he said in remarks to Politico. “I think Iran is a very badly defeated country. They’re running on fumes.”Iran had been scheduled to play three group-stage matches in the United States during the opening round of the tournament. Under the draw, Iran was placed in Group G alongside Belgium, Egypt and New Zealand.The team’s first match was set for June 15 against New Zealand in Los Angeles, followed by another game in Los Angeles against Belgium on June 21. Iran was then scheduled to conclude group play June 26 against Egypt in Seattle.Ranked 20th in the world and second among Asian teams, Iran was the first nation to secure qualification for the tournament’s newly expanded field.But signs of trouble had already begun to emerge behind the scenes. Iranian officials notably failed to attend a recent FIFA planning conference in Atlanta, where representatives from participating countries met for three days of briefings and workshops covering medical services, stadium logistics, transportation and other operational details.Iran’s soccer federation had also publicly acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding the tournament even before the latest escalation in violence. Federation president Mehdi Taj said last month that it was difficult for the team to focus on the competition given the turmoil facing the country.“We cannot be expected to look forward to the World Cup with hope,” Mr. Taj said at the time.If Iran formally withdraws from the tournament, the financial consequences could be significant. Each participating nation receives at least $10.5 million from FIFA simply for qualifying for the World Cup. Iran could also face additional penalties, including fines estimated at roughly $320,000 and potential repercussions affecting its eligibility or standing for the 2030 tournament.FIFA has not yet announced how it would replace Iran should the team withdraw or be removed from the competition. One possibility is that another team from the Asian Football Confederation could take the slot.Iraq has emerged as a leading candidate. The Iraqi national team still has a chance to qualify through a scheduled playoff match in Mexico later this month, although officials have requested that FIFA delay the game due to ongoing airspace restrictions and visa complications stemming from the war.

Trump Walks Back Welcome After Iran Says It Won’t Play in U.S.-Hosted World Cup

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