By Ridwanullah Sakariyah
Tension over the 2026 FIFA World Cup rose on Thursday after Iran warned that the United States could lose its right to host the tournament if it fails to guarantee the safety of participating teams.
The warning came in response to remarks by United States President, Donald Trump, who said Iran’s players might face security risks if they attend the tournament in the US.
The World Cup, organised by FIFA, will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico later this year.
Iran’s national team reacted strongly to the comments, insisting that no country has the authority to block it from taking part in the global football event.
The team said in a statement on social media, “The World Cup is a historic and international event and its governing body is FIFA, not any individual country.”
The statement stressed that Iran qualified for the competition through strong performances on the pitch and therefore has every right to participate.
The team said, “Certainly no one can exclude Iran’s national team from the World Cup.”
Iran also turned the argument back on Washington, warning that a host nation must first prove it can guarantee the security of every team involved.
The statement added, “The only country that can be excluded is one that merely carries the title of host but cannot provide security for participating teams.”
Trump had earlier written on his Truth Social platform that Iran would be welcome at the tournament but suggested their presence could be unsafe due to tensions in the Middle East.
He wrote, “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.”
The exchange has added a fresh political edge to the tournament months before kickoff.
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