- Trump indicated he was unconcerned about Iran’s potential involvement in the 2026 World Cup
- Rising tensions followed US and Israeli strikes on Iranian targets and Iran’s retaliatory attacks
- Iran’s football officials suggested the current security situation might affect the team’s participation
United States President Donald Trump has indicated that he is unconcerned about whether the Iran national football team will take part in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, amid growing uncertainty over the country’s involvement in the tournament.
In an interview with Politico on Tuesday, Trump said, “I really don’t care,” when asked about Iran’s participation. He added, “I think Iran is a very badly defeated country. They’re running on fumes.”
Concerns over Iran’s participation have intensified following rising tensions in the Middle East and questions over whether Iranian officials and supporters would be granted entry into the United States, one of the host nations for the World Cup.
Last Saturday, the United States and Israel conducted coordinated strikes on Iranian targets. Iran responded with missile and drone attacks on American and allied facilities across the Gulf region, raising fears of a wider regional conflict.
Despite the tensions, the global football governing body, FIFA, has traditionally emphasised keeping politics separate from the World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Iran had earlier qualified for the tournament and is set to face New Zealand, Belgium, and Egypt during the group stage. However, Mehdi Taj, president of the Iran Football Federation, has suggested that the current security situation may affect the country’s participation.
“What is certain is that after this attack, we cannot be expected to look forward to the World Cup with hope,” Taj told Iranian sports outlet Varzesh3 following the strikes.
The 2026 tournament, the first to be hosted across three countries, is expected to attract millions of fans from around the world.