The Iranian national soccer team has issued a furious response to US President Donald Trump for warning the team not to participate in the 2026 World Cup, for their own life and safety.’
Iran has qualified for this summer’s soccer showpiece, which is being co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. However, there is uncertainty over the nation’s participation in the tournament after the US and Israel launched joint strikes on Iran, killing the country’s supreme leader.
Iran responded with retaliatory attacks on US-allied states in the Gulf, further escalating the conflict.
After the head of Iran’s football federation, Mehdi Taj, stated that it is ‘unlikely that we can look forward to the cup, Trump spoke out about the issue on Truth Social on Thursday, warning the Iranians to withdraw from the World Cup for their ‘own life and safety.’
Iran’s national team has now pushed back against the president’s suggestion, saying that its participation in the World Cup is not dictated by one particular country or individual.
‘The World Cup is a historic and international event and its governing body is FIFA – not any individual or country,’ the team said in a statement shared to Instagram.
‘Iran’s national team, with strength and a series of decisive victories achieved by the brave sons of Iran, was among the first teams to qualify for this major tournament.
‘Certainly, no one can exclude Iran’s national team from the World Cup; the only country that could be excluded is one that merely carries the title of “host” yet lacks the ability to provide security for the teams participating in this global event.’
