U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he
did not care whether Iran participates in this summer’s World Cup, jointly
hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
“I really don’t care. I think Iran is a very badly
defeated country. They’re running on fumes,” Trump told Politico.
Iran was absent from a FIFA planning summit for World
Cup participants held in Atlanta this week, raising doubts about whether the
country’s soccer team will compete on U.S. soil amid escalating U.S.-Israeli
attacks in the Middle East.
Mehdi Taj, president of Iran’s Football Federation,
said the violence did not bode well for Iran’s participation. The country had
qualified for a fourth consecutive World Cup by topping Group A in the third
round of Asian qualifiers last year.
Iran is drawn in Group G alongside Belgium, Egypt, and
New Zealand, with matches scheduled in Los Angeles (two games) and Seattle (one
game). If both the U.S. and Iran finish second in their respective groups, they
could meet in a July 3 elimination match in Dallas.
Iran is also subject to Trump’s restrictive travel ban
from June 2025, though exemptions for World Cup teams and personnel are
possible. Decisions on visas for government officials or corporate sponsors are
handled case by case by the U.S. State Department.
Andrew Giuliani stated that the administration’s
approach to exceptions is shaped by security concerns. He praised Trump’s
action against Iran’s leadership as removing a major destabilizing threat,
“helping protect people around the world, including Americans and the millions
planning to attend the 2026 World Cup.”
Historically, all qualified teams have participated in
the World Cup finals. Should Iran withdraw, FIFA would almost certainly replace
the team to maintain the tournament’s integrity.
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