Iran’s Soccer Team Rebukes Trump’s Safety Warnings, Confirms FIFA World Cup Participation

Iran’s national football squad delivered a sharp rebuttal to President Donald Trump‘s safety-related warnings, declaring through an Instagram statement this week that no authority could bar its participation in the FIFA World Cup — and turning the argument around by implying it was the United States, as tournament host, that risked disqualification for failing to protect visiting nations.

Trump stated in his Truth Social post on Thursday that, while Iran’s players were “welcome,” he personally felt their attendance was ill-advised given risks to their “life and safety,” marking his third contradictory stance within a week, following a White House meeting with FIFA chief Gianni Infantino, where he had extended a full welcome.

No One Can Exclude Us, Squad Says

“The World Cup is a historic and international event and its governing body is FIFA — not any individual, country,” the post noted. 

Iran is ranked 20th in the FIFA standings and will be competing in its fourth consecutive World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by the U.S., Mexico, and Canada.

The Asian football powerhouse has the following match schedule:

Nevertheless, opinions within Iran’s sports leadership are also divided.

Earlier this week, Iran’s Sports Minister Ahmad Donyamali told state television that the escalating regional tensions had cast significant uncertainty over whether the team could participate.

The Iranian team’s unwavering stance comes amid a backdrop of geopolitical tension.

Pressure on Iranian football players is increasing. This month, five members of Iran’s women’s national team were individually granted asylum in Australia after quietly protesting during the national anthem at the AFC Women’s Asian Cup.

Photo: Shutterstock

Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.