KUALA LUMPUR – US President Donald Trump has made it clear that he does not care about Iran’s involvement in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, dismissing concerns amid rising tensions in the Middle East.
“I really don’t care. I think Iran is a very bad country. They seem completely drained,” Trump said in an interview with Politico.
His comments come as geopolitical uncertainty threatens to overshadow the upcoming World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
The controversy follows reports that Iran was the only country not represented at FIFA’s planning conference for participating teams in Atlanta this week, sparking doubts about whether the Iranian team will be able to travel to the US for the event.
FIFA has yet to respond to Reuters’ request for comment.
Mehdi Taj, president of Iran’s football federation, expressed concern over recent US and Israeli military actions, which he said had put a significant strain on Iran’s preparations for the tournament, set to take place from June 11 to July 19.
“Given what has happened and the attacks by the United States, it seems unlikely that we will be able to compete in the World Cup,” Taj told Marca. “But sports authorities are the ones who have to make that decision,” he added.
Iran has qualified for the World Cup for the fourth consecutive time, having topped Group A in the third round of Asian qualifiers last year.
The team has been drawn into Group G, alongside Belgium, Egypt, and New Zealand, with all matches scheduled to take place in the United States – two in Los Angeles and one in Seattle. – March 4, 2026