US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that Iran’s national football team is “welcome” to compete in the FIFA World Cup in the United States, but advised the team not to participate for “their own lives and safety”.
Trump wrote on the social media site Truth Social: “The Iran National Soccer Team is welcome to the World Cup, but I really do not believe it is appropriate for them to be there for their lives and safety. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President Donald J. Trump.”
Iran, one of 48 teams in the tournament, is scheduled to play against New Zealand on June 15 in Inglewood, California, and Belgium on June 21 before concluding group matches in Seattle against Egypt on June 26.
On Wednesday, the Iranian sports minister said Iran may not participate in the 2026 World Cup following air strikes against the country by the United States and Israel.
Ahmad Donyamali reportedly told Iranian state television, “Given that this corrupt government murdered our leader, we cannot participate in the World Cup under any circumstances.”
Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei died on the first day of the attacks. He has since been succeeded by his son, Mojtaba Khamenei.
Trump’s message appears to differ somewhat from the one the Republican president delivered to FIFA President Gianni Infantino at the White House on Tuesday, who later said publicly that Trump had assured him that Iranian players and coaches would be welcome.
Infantino posted on social media later Wednesday that Trump had assured him that Iran would be “welcomed” to compete.
A White House official, who insisted on anonymity to discuss private conversations, confirmed Trump’s message to Infantino about Iran’s involvement.
On Thursday, the White House did not immediately clarify what Trump meant by “his own life and safety,” such as whether he feared threats against him in the United States following the U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran that began Feb. 28.
The United States is hosting the tournament along with Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19.
Since June, Iran has been under a travel ban to the US as part of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown. But athletes and coaches from the targeted countries are exempt, meaning the Iranian team will be allowed to enter the U.S.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.
