Trump shrugs off Iran World Cup participation as doubts grow over US-hosted games

Iran’s place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup has been thrown into fresh doubt after US President Donald Trump said he did not care whether the country plays in the tournament, amid escalating geopolitical tensions and renewed questions over entry to the United States.Trump made the remarks in an interview with Politico on March 3, in the context of ongoing conflict involving the US and Iran and wider concerns about whether Iran’s delegation would be able to travel for matches scheduled on US soil.Iran have already qualified for the expanded 48-team finals, which are being co-hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico, and are scheduled to play all of their group-stage matches in the United States, including fixtures in the Los Angeles area and Seattle.Asked about Iran’s participation, Trump said: “They’re a badly defeated country. I really don’t care.”Iranian football federation president Mehdi Taj has publicly questioned whether participation is realistic in the current climate, indicating that senior officials would assess the situation before any formal decisions are taken.Taj said: “What is certain is that after this attack, we cannot be expected to look forward to the World Cup with hope.”The issue is complicated by US immigration policy. Iran has been affected by travel restrictions that can create barriers for fans and official delegations, even where sporting exemptions may be considered.FIFA has said it is monitoring developments as the tournament approaches, with Iran’s absence from a recent FIFA planning summit in Atlanta adding to speculation over whether the qualified team will attend the finals as scheduled.Any Iran withdrawal would create a significant operational and commercial headache for the World Cup, with host cities, venue operators and local organisers planning security, transport, ticketing and fan engagement around confirmed match schedules. FIFA would also face a competitive integrity question over how to replace a qualified team at relatively short notice under tournament regulations.