Trump on Iran possibly pulling out of the World Cup: I don't care | OneFootball

Iran’s presence at the 2026 World Cup is the great unknown in world football. Despite being one of the first teams to qualify, the current situation has set off all the alarms about a possible withdrawal due to the ongoing conflict in the region.

In an exclusive interview with POLITICO, President Donald Trump was blunt when asked whether the U.S. government would allow the entry of the Iranian delegation. “I really don’t care if they participate,” the president stated, adding that he considers Iran a “defeated” country going through a critical situation.

Geopolitical tension directly clashes with FIFA’s intention to keep football separate from war. Iran has matches scheduled in Los Angeles and Seattle, and the logistics of security and visas for players and officials linked to the Tehran government has become a major point of friction for the organizers.

Iran ready to withdraw

For his part, the president of the Iranian federation, Mehdi Taj, hinted that withdrawing from the tournament is a real possibility after the recent attacks suffered on their territory. “You can’t expect us to look at the World Cup with hope after this,” he told local media, casting doubt on their debut against New Zealand.

The sports calendar even presents a scenario of high tension: a possible knockout match between the United States and Iran on July 3 in Dallas. However, the exchange of threats and political rhetoric suggest that the tournament could lose one of its competitors before the ball is even kicked.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.

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