‘No One Can Exclude Us From World Cup’ – Iran Fires Back At Trump

Iran has insisted that no country has the authority to exclude it from the upcoming FIFA World Cup, responding strongly to comments by former United States President Donald Trump, suggesting the team’s “life and safety” could be at risk in the US.

In a statement shared on its social media on Thursday, the Iranian national football team said the global football competition is governed by FIFA and not by any individual country.

“The World Cup is a historic and international event and its governing body is FIFA, not any individual or country,” the team said.

The Iranian team further argued that only FIFA has the authority to determine participation in the tournament, stressing that no host country could single-handedly bar a qualified team.

“Certainly no one can exclude Iran’s national team from the World Cup; the only country that can 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,” the statement added.

Iran also suggested that any nation unable to guarantee the safety of participating teams should not host the tournament.

Trump had earlier taken to his social media platform, Truth Social, to say that although Iran’s national team would be welcome in the country, he did not consider it appropriate for them to participate due to safety concerns.

“The Iran National Soccer Team is welcome to the World Cup, but I really don’t believe it is appropriate that they be there, for their own life and safety,” he wrote.

His comments came just two days after he reportedly assured Gianni Infantino, the president of FIFA, that Iranian players would be welcomed at the competition.

The exchange comes amid heightened geopolitical tensions following recent military strikes involving the United States and Israel against Iran on February 28.

The developments have sparked debates about Iran’s participation in the upcoming tournament and raised broader concerns about security.

Naija News reports that the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Despite the controversy, Trump later reassured football fans that the tournament would be safe for teams and supporters.

“The United States of America looks very much forward to hosting the FIFA World Cup,” he wrote, adding that ticket sales were “through the roof.”