Trump suggests Iran avoid World Cup, cites players’ safety

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that the Iran national football team could participate in the FIFA World Cup in the United States but suggested that the team consider skipping the tournament for safety reasons. Trump shared his message on the social media platform Truth Social, saying the Iranian team was welcome but he believed it might not be appropriate for them to attend due to concerns about their security.

Trump wrote that although the Iranian squad could take part in the global tournament, he worried about the players’ well-being. He said their participation might put them at risk and added that he made the statement to raise concerns about their safety.The post quickly drew international attention as the United States prepares to host the tournament.

Later on Thursday, the Iranian team responded strongly on social media. Officials said no single country has the authority to prevent a national team from participating in the World Cup. They stressed that FIFA governs the competition and alone decides eligibility and participation in the tournament.

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Iran responds to Trump, says only FIFA has authority over World Cup participation.

In its statement, Iran said the World Cup remains one of the most important global sporting events and belongs to the international community rather than any host nation. Officials highlighted that the Iranian team secured its place in the competition through strong performances and decisive victories during the qualification stage.

Iran also said that no country could remove its national team from the tournament. The statement suggested that if any nation faced exclusion, it would be one that could not guarantee the safety and security of teams participating in the global event.

Officials placed the Iranian squad in Group G alongside Belgium, Egypt and New Zealand for the 2026 tournament. Organisers will stage the team’s group matches in several U.S. cities as part of the competition that the United States, Canada and Mexico will jointly host. The tournament will run from June 11 to July 19.

Meanwhile, Trump later posted another message saying the United States looks forward to hosting the tournament and promised that it would be one of the safest sporting events in history. He said organizers expect strong ticket sales and assured that players, officials and fans from around the world would receive a warm welcome during the competition.

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