Trump Shrugs Off Iran’s 2026 World Cup Entry

U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he is not concerned about whether Iran participates in the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be 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 when asked about the possibility of Iran competing in the tournament.

Iran was notably absent from a FIFA planning summit for World Cup participants held this week in Atlanta, raising questions about whether the country’s national team will ultimately compete in matches scheduled to be played in the United States. The absence comes amid escalating regional tensions involving Iran.

FIFA, soccer’s global governing body, did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters regarding Iran’s participation.

Mehdi Taj, president of Iran’s football federation, said the ongoing hostilities involving U.S. and Israeli forces cast uncertainty over the team’s World Cup prospects. The tournament is set to run from June 11 to July 19, 2026.

Iran qualified for the World Cup after finishing first in Group A during the third round of Asian qualifiers last year, securing its fourth consecutive appearance in the tournament.

The Iranian team has been placed in Group G alongside Belgium, Egypt, and New Zealand. According to the schedule, Iran’s group-stage matches are expected to take place in the United States, with two games planned for Los Angeles and one in Seattle.

If both the United States and Iran finish second in their respective groups, the teams could potentially face each other in a knockout-stage match on July 3 in Dallas.

Iran is also among the countries affected by the Trump administration’s most restrictive travel ban, introduced through an executive order last June. While the policy includes exemptions for World Cup players and official team staff, visa decisions for others—such as government officials or corporate representatives tied to team sponsors—will be reviewed individually by the U.S. State Department.

Andrew Giuliani, director of the White House FIFA World Cup Task Force, said earlier this year that national security considerations would guide decisions regarding travel exemptions.

In a statement to Politico on Tuesday, Giuliani said that recent actions by the administration had addressed what he described as a major global security threat and would contribute to the safety of fans and participants attending the 2026 World Cup in the United States.

In modern World Cup history, every team that has qualified for the tournament has gone on to compete in the finals. If Iran were to withdraw or be unable to participate, FIFA would likely select a replacement team.