Iran Soccer Team Vows to Compete in 2026 World Cup

Despite doubts from Iranian officials, national team says "no one can exclude" them from tournament

Mar. 13, 2026 at 8:33pm

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Iran's national soccer team has pushed back on speculation over the team's status for the 2026 World Cup, releasing a statement saying "no one can exclude" the squad from competing in the tournament. This comes after remarks from Iran's sports minister casting doubt on the team's participation, and comments from President Trump that Iran's involvement might not be "appropriate" due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

Why it matters

Iran's national team is a regular participant in the World Cup, having qualified for the last four tournaments. Their inclusion or exclusion from the 2026 event would have significant implications, both in terms of the geopolitical tensions involved as well as the competitive makeup of the tournament.

The details

The Iranian team's statement declared that the "World Cup is a historic and international event" and that "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." This pushes back against the remarks from Iran's sports minister and Trump's indications that Iran may not be allowed to participate.

  • Iran is scheduled to play in Inglewood, California, against New Zealand on June 15 and Belgium on June 21 before finishing group play against Egypt in Seattle on June 26.
  • The 2026 World Cup is scheduled to take place from June 11 to July 19.

The players

Iran's National Soccer Team

Iran's men's national soccer team, which has qualified for the last four World Cup tournaments.

Donald Trump

The former President of the United States, who commented that Iran's participation in the 2026 World Cup might not be "appropriate" due to ongoing conflicts in the Middle East.

Gianni Infantino

The President of FIFA, who said that Trump "reiterated" to him that Iran's soccer team would be "welcome to compete" in the 2026 World Cup.

Ahmad Donyamali

The Sports Minister of Iran, who claimed that a squad could not be sent to the 2026 World Cup due to the "corrupt regime" in the country.

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What they’re saying

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

— Iran's National Soccer Team (Instagram)

“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.”

— Iran's National Soccer Team (Instagram)

“We also spoke about the current situation in Iran, and the fact that the Iranian team has qualified to participate in the FIFA World Cup 2026. During the discussions, President Trump reiterated that the Iranian team is, of course, welcome to compete in the tournament in the United States.”

— Gianni Infantino, FIFA President (Instagram)

“Considering that this corrupt regime has assassinated our leader, under no circumstances can we participate in the World Cup.”

— Ahmad Donyamali, Iran Sports Minister (Reuters)

“I really don't believe it is appropriate that they be there, for their own life and safety.”

— Donald Trump (Truth Social)

What’s next

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