There is uncertainty on Iran’s participation at the 2026 Fifa World Cup in the US after President Donald Trump said they should not participate in the showpiece for their safety.
The comments came two days after Fifa president Gianni Infantino said he received assurances from Trump that Iran would be welcome at the tournament.
Iran qualified for the tournament, which the US is co-hosting with Mexico and Canada, but there is uncertainty about their participation after the US and Israel launched joint strikes on the nation, killing the country’s supreme leader.
The war between Iran and the US has changed the dynamics of the tournament, and Trump said this week that while the Iranian soccer team was welcome to participate, it was not appropriate that they be there “for their own life and safety”.
Fifa could be facing a race against time to find a replacement for Iran after one senior official reportedly said “under no circumstances can we participate in the World Cup” after the US-Israeli airstrikes on their country.
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