Trump Says Iran Team Welcome but Safety Concerns Remain
- By Thetripurapost Web Desk, New York
- Mar 13, 2026
- 14
US President Donald Trump has stirred debate by remarking that Iran’s national football team might be better off avoiding travel to the United States for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup, citing potential risks to their safety. At the same time, he maintained that the Iranian team would nevertheless be welcome to participate in the tournament.
The 2026 World Cup will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The competition is scheduled to kick off on June 11 in Mexico City, while the final will take place on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
A day earlier, Iran’s Sports Minister Ahmad Dunyamali suggested that the Iranian national team might not be able to participate in the tournament, citing the tense circumstances following the reported assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader in alleged US-Israeli strikes.
Earlier, Gianni Infantino, president of FIFA, stated that President Trump had assured him the Iranian national team would be allowed to travel to the United States to compete in the global event.
Meanwhile, Trump highlighted the unprecedented demand for World Cup tickets. In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, he said ticket sales had reached record levels. “The United States is fully prepared to host the FIFA World Cup. Ticket sales are soaring. This will be the greatest and safest event in American history. All players, officials and fans will be treated like stars,” he wrote.
However, the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran has voiced serious security concerns. Its president, Mehdi Taj, expressed disappointment over the prevailing circumstances, stating that recent developments have dimmed Iran’s prospects of participating in the tournament. Speaking on Iranian state television, Taj questioned the safety of the event, asking, “If the atmosphere surrounding the World Cup is like this, which country would dare to send its national team there?”
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is set to be historic in several respects. For the first time, the tournament will feature 104 matches, and it will also mark the first occasion on which three countries jointly host the global competition. Matches will be staged across several major cities in the United States, where the administration has claimed extensive and stringent security arrangements have been put in place.