Donald Trump has said that Iran would still be allowed to participate in the upcoming men’s FIFA World Cup in North America despite the ongoing war in the Middle East.
The confirmation was disclosed on Wednesday by Gianni Infantino, the head of the world football governing body, FIFA.
The conflict, which began after joint strikes by the United States and Israel on February 28, had raised uncertainty over whether Iran would take part in the tournament scheduled to be hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
In a post on Instagram, Infantino said the issue was discussed during a meeting on preparations for the tournament.
“During the discussions, President Trump reiterated that the Iranian team is, of course, welcome to compete in the tournament in the United States,” Infantino wrote.
The remarks mark the first time the FIFA president has publicly referenced the Middle East conflict since the war began. Infantino had previously awarded Trump the inaugural FIFA peace prize in December.
However, Iran’s football federation chief, Mehdi Taj, has expressed doubts about the country’s participation in the global competition.
Speaking on Iranian state television on Tuesday, Taj questioned whether it would be safe or appropriate for the team to attend.
“If the World Cup is like this, who in their right mind would send their national team to a place like this?” he said.
Although the tournament will be spread across three countries, Iran is currently scheduled to play all its group-stage matches in the United States, including two in Los Angeles and one in Seattle.
Meanwhile, another controversy involving Iranian football has emerged during the AFC Women’s Asian Cup in Australia.
According to reports, several players from Iran’s women’s national team sought asylum during the tournament. Five players, including captain Zahra Ghanbari, reportedly left the team hotel at night to seek protection from Australian authorities.
The Government of Australia confirmed the development, while local media later reported that at least two additional players also applied to remain in the country.
Some of the athletes had earlier faced criticism from Iranian state media after they remained silent during the national anthem ahead of their opening match against South Korea.
However, the players later sang the anthem before their subsequent group matches.
Iran’s women’s team went on to lose those games and were eventually eliminated from the tournament after suffering defeat to the Philippines on Sunday.
What you should know
The upcoming FIFA World Cup will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, marking the first time the tournament will be staged across three countries.
Despite rising geopolitical tensions involving Iran, FIFA maintains that national teams qualified for the competition should be able to participate regardless of political disputes.
However, ongoing conflict in the Middle East and recent asylum claims by Iranian women footballers have raised new questions about the country’s sporting participation and the broader political pressures affecting its athletes.
