Donald Trump revealed he welcomes the Iranian national football team to join the 2026 World Cup in the United States but questioned the appropriateness and safety of the players.
On 12 Mar 2026 GMT+7, U.S. President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that the Iranian national football team is "welcome" to travel and participate in the 2026 World Cup co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. However, he questioned whether their participation would be appropriate.
"The Iranian national football team is welcome to participate in the World Cup, but I honestly don’t believe it is appropriate for them to be there, for their own welfare and safety. Thank you for your interest in this matter! President Donald J. Trump," the statement from Trump read.
Earlier, Gianni Infantino, president of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), said that Trump had assured him the Iranian national team was "welcome" to compete in the tournament.
However, despite these assurances, Ahmad Donyamali, Iran’s Minister of Sports, officially announced via state media that the Iranian national team would not participate under any circumstances, citing the assassination of their supreme leader and U.S. military operations as reasons for their withdrawal.
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Source:cnn