Trump assures FIFA Iran are welcome to the US for 2026 World CupNext article: Trump assures FIFA Iran are welcome to the US for 2026 World CupFeaturedIran withdraws from 2026 FIFA World Cuptheguardian.com Sports News Mar - 11 - 2026 , 14:45 2 minutes readIran cannot participate in the 2026 World Cup after the United States killed their leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the sports minister, Ahmad Donyamali, said on Wednesday. “Considering that this corrupt regime [the US] has assassinated our leader, under no circumstances can we participate in the World Cup,” the minister told state television. Therefore, we certainly cannot have such a presence.”Donyamali’s comments came after the Fifa president, Gianni Infantino, reported that Donald Trump had said Iran were “welcome” to play at the upcoming World Cup, despite the ongoing war in the Middle East. Iran are scheduled to play group games against New Zealand and Belgium in Inglewood, California, and Egypt in Seattle. Fifa’s World Cup regulations state that any team that withdraw “no later than 30 days before the first match” will be fined at least 250,000 Swiss francs (£239,000) by the Fifa disciplinary committee.

Source: The Guardian March 11, 2026 20:47 UTC