Donald Trump said on Thursday that Iran should not participate in the upcoming World Cup in North America, just days after telling Fifa’s chief they would be welcome despite the Middle East war. “The Iran national soccer team is welcome to the World Cup, but I really don’t believe it is appropriate that they be there, for their own life and safety,” the US president said on his Truth Social platform. “We also spoke about the current situation in Iran, and the fact that the Iranian team has qualified to participate in the Fifa World Cup 2026,” Infantino wrote in a Tuesday post on Instagram. “During the discussions, President Trump reiterated that the Iranian team is, of course, welcome to compete in the tournament in the United States. Donyamali was the first government representative to speak on the World Cup since the US began bombing Iran with backing from Israel earlier this month.

Source: The Irish Times March 13, 2026 01:38 UTC