Donald Trump says Iran’s national team should avoid the 2026 FIFA World Cup for safety reasons after Iran announced its withdrawal from the tournament amid escalating conflict.
Donald Trump has said Iran’s national football team should not attend the 2026 FIFA World Cup for their own safety amid escalating conflict in the Middle East. Writing on Truth Social, the US president said the Iran National Football Team was welcome at the tournament but suggested current security conditions made participation inappropriate.
The comments came after Iran’s sports minister announced that Team Melli would not take part in the tournament following US and Israeli airstrikes that killed former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and triggered a wider regional conflict. The minister said the situation meant Iranian players could not safely compete abroad.