The Iranian national football team responded to US President Donald Trump's request not to participate in the 2026 World Cup, which will be held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Trump had called on the Iranian national team not to participate for their own safety, writing on his Truth Social platform: “We welcome the Iranian national football team to participate in the World Cup, but I don’t think it’s appropriate for them to be there for their lives and safety.”.
Iran's response to Trump's request
In a statement posted on its Instagram account in response to Trump’s request, the Iranian national team said: “The World Cup is a historic and international event, and the body responsible for it is FIFA, not any other country. The Iranian national team is one of the first teams to qualify for this major tournament, thanks to its status and the successive victories achieved by its players.”.
The statement added: “Certainly, no one can exclude the Iranian national team from the World Cup; a country that only holds the title of ‘host’ but does not have the ability to provide security for the teams participating in the event should be excluded.”.
Final decision pending
It is worth noting that Iranian Sports Minister Ahmad Donyamali stated this week that Iran cannot participate in the World Cup after the United States and Israel launched airstrikes against Tehran, but the Iranian Football Federation has not officially confirmed the withdrawal yet.
