United States President, Donald Trump, has stated that he is unconcerned about whether Iran competes at the 2026 World Cup, despite mounting tensions in the Middle East.
The United States will co-host the 2026 FIFA World Cup alongside Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19. Iran secured qualification for the tournament prior to the recent escalation of tensions in the region.
Responding to questions about Iran’s involvement, Trump told Politico: “I really don’t care. I think Iran is a very badly defeated country. They’re running on fumes.”
His comments follow a series of US and Israeli strikes on Iran and subsequent retaliatory actions by Tehran targeting US-allied Gulf states. The conflict has intensified in recent weeks, raising concerns over the stability of several global events.
Iran are scheduled to open their World Cup campaign in Los Angeles against New Zealand and Belgium, before wrapping up their group stage matches against Egypt in Seattle.
Previously, Iran did not withdraw from competition after the US carried out airstrikes on three of its nuclear facilities last summer. However, the renewed escalation has reportedly sparked fresh apprehension within Tehran.
The president of the Iranian Football Federation, Mehdi Taj, has questioned the feasibility of participation under the current circumstances. Speaking on Iranian television, he described the situation as “far from our expectations that we can look at the World Cup with hope,” noting that sports authorities would decide if any measures were necessary.
While FIFA has not issued a direct response to the developments, its general secretary, Mattias Grafstrom, stated on Saturday: “Our focus is to have a safe World Cup with everybody participating.”