Trump comments throw FIFA into disarray over Iran’s 2026 World Cup place

US president Donald Trump has publicly questioned whether Iran should attend the 2026 World Cup, despite earlier assurances to FIFA that the team would be welcome, leaving the governing body facing a political and operational dilemma ahead of a tournament it is selling as a landmark North American showpiece.Trump wrote on Truth Social: “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.”Iran’s Minister of Sports and Youth, Ahmad Donyamali, has said his country is not in a position to take part after the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran, with Tehran saying the attacks killed supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.Donyamali told Iranian state television: “Given that this corrupt government has assassinated our leader, under no circumstances do we have the appropriate conditions to participate in the World Cup. Our boys are not safe, and conditions for participation do not exist.”FIFA has not confirmed whether Iran has formally withdrawn, but the threat alone forces a decision tree that touches competitive integrity, tournament logistics and the credibility of a competition that will be staged across the United States, Canada and Mexico from June 11.Iran were drawn in Group G and are scheduled to play New Zealand and Belgium in Los Angeles and Egypt in Seattle, putting all of their group fixtures on US soil.The uncertainty is landing in the middle of FIFA’s commercial ramp-up, when host committees and venues are finalising security overlays, ticketing plans and operational staffing for games that are expected to deliver major tourism and hospitality revenue.FIFA’s regulations give the organisation discretion to decide how to handle a withdrawal, including selecting a replacement, but there is no modern precedent for a qualified team stepping aside this close to a finals.One scenario would be to elevate an alternative qualifier from the same confederation, though it is unclear which pathway FIFA would choose and whether it would try to preserve the sporting logic of qualification.The situation is further complicated by travel disruption in the region, with Iraq among the teams cited in industry speculation and reporting as a possible replacement, while the conflict has already affected flights and scheduling around FIFA’s remaining qualifying and play-off windows.Trump’s post attempted to pair concern over Iran’s safety with a broader message about tournament security, saying the United States would deliver the “Greatest and Safest Sporting Event in American History.”FIFA president Gianni Infantino has previously said Trump told him Iran were “welcome to compete,” a remark now undermined by Trump’s public warning and Tehran’s escalating rhetoric.