President Donald Trump’s veiled threat to the Iranian football team has resulted in a massive backlash, with many fans demanding that the United States of America should not be hosting the FIFA World Cup 2026. Trump, in a social media post on Thursday, said that it would be “inappropriate” for Iran to take part in the World Cup matches in the USA when both countries are involved in an ongoing war.

Trump insisted that Iran must skip the World Cup
for their own “life and safety.”

“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,” Trump said on ​Truth Social.

He later backtracked and clarified that Iranian players will face no security threat from the USA.

“It will be the Greatest and Safest Sporting Event in American History. All Players, Officials, and Fans will be treated like the “STARS” that they are,” he said in another post.

Fans want FIFA World Cup out of USA

However, by the time Trump backtracked, a new controversy had begun. And fans are demanding that the USA must be stripped of the hosting rights. The 48-team 2026 World Cup will be played across Canada, Mexico and the USA. The USA will host 78 matches out of the total 104.

USA President Trump just Threatened Iran men’s Soccer team from participating in FIFA World Cup !!

If it would have been any other Nation they would have snatched hosting Rights from them !!

Western media Double Standards pic.twitter.com/EviRgovna1

— Navin Mittal (@NavinSports) March 12, 2026

‎Iran will play their group games against New Zealand and Belgium in California and against Egypt in Seattle.

And while the Iranian Sports Minister Ahmad Donyamali has already said that they
won’t take part in the World Cup 2026 in the USA, it’s important to note that Trump cannot stop them from playing the group games in the States if the Asian nation decides to make a U-turn.

There’s a precedent that shows that if the USA deny entry to the Iranian football team, then they can lose the hosting rights for the FIFA World Cup 2026. Indonesia
lost the hosting rights for the FIFA Under-20 World Cup three years ago when they refused to allow Israel to play in the men’s tournament.

Indonesia’s hosting rights were cancelled just weeks before the tournament was to start and it was moved to Argentina.

Under what conditions can FIFA remove a World Cup host?

FIFA, if needed, can use the Force majeure clause in the hosting rights contract to move a few matches or the entire tournament (World Cup 2026) from the USA. Force majeure is a common clause in contracts that frees involved parties from obligations in case of unforeseen circumstances like natural disasters, wars or pandemics. The Force majeure clause can also be used when government action makes it impossible to perform a duty.

While speaking to SPORTbible, the professor of sports law at the University of Melbourne, Jack Anderson, explained how FIFA can remove the USA as the hosts for the FIFA World Cup 2026.

“Under the contracts in place, FIFA has broad powers to unilaterally terminate the arrangement with the host country and city, but only if they could justify an ‘extraordinary’ ground of termination,” Anderson said.

“It would under the contract be very difficult for the US to challenge a FIFA termination, but equally, it is very unlikely that FIFA would strip the most powerful economy in the world of its hosting rights, as this would have long-term diplomatic and economic impact for FIFA,” he added.

However, considering the closeness of FIFA President Gianni Infantino to US boss Trump, it’s highly unlikely that FIFA would take any such step even if Iran are barred from the tournament.

Iran football team has hit out at the United States of America (USA) President Donald Trump after the politician issued a veiled threat to the Asian team if they participated in the FIFA World Cup 2026 in the North American country. Iran are scheduled to play two group matches in Los Angeles and one in Seattle.

But the ongoing war between Iran and the US has changed the dynamics. Amid the geopolitical tension, US President Trump said on Thursday that while the Iranian soccer ‌team was welcome to participate in the FIFA World Cup, it was not appropriate that they be there “for their own life and safety”.

“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,” Trump said on ​Truth Social.

Iran lash out at Trump’s ‘safety’ warning for 2026 World Cup

Hitting out at Trump for trying to threaten its football team, the Iranian Football Association (FFIRI) said late on Thursday that the United States must be stripped of hosting rights for the FIFA World Cup as it could not guarantee the safety of players.

“The World Cup is a historic and international event and its governing body is FIFA — not any individual or country,” the Iranian Football Association said in an Instagram Story.

“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. Certainly, no one can exclude Iran’s national team from the World Cup; the only country that could be excluded is on that merely carries the title of “host” yet lacks the ability to provide security for the teams participating in this global event.”

FIFA stays mum as Trump threatens Iran

Trump later clarified that any threat to Iranian players at the FIFA World Cup would not come from the ‌United ⁠States.

“It will be the Greatest and Safest Sporting Event in American History,” he said in a latest Truth Social post. “All Players, Officials, and Fans will be treated like the “STARS” that they are!”

It has to be noted that Iranian Sports Minister Ahmad Donyamali has already officially said that the country
would not take part in the World Cup amid its ongoing war with the US.

Iran’s withdrawal from the World Cup is going to be a first in modern-day football, but governing body FIFA has not clarified who will replace Iran, nor has it rebuked Trump for his recent comments.

Iran’s participation in the FIFA World Cup 2026 has become uncertain after the United States and Israel launched an attack in the West Asian country, killing its supreme leader, Ali Khamenei. Iran are part of Group G in the FIFA World Cup along with New Zealand, Belgium and Egypt.

Iran’s group stage matches are scheduled in American cities of Los Angeles and Seattle from 16 June, but the recent attacks on the country by the USA have put their participation in doubt.

No Iran in FIFA World Cup 2026?

The president of Iran’s football federation has declared that the national team most likely won’t take part in the football World Cup.

“What is certain is that after this attack, we cannot be expected to look forward to the World Cup with hope,” Mehdi Taj told sports portal Varzesh3.

The US-Israeli strikes on Iran continued for a second day on Sunday after the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei threw the future of the Islamic Republic into uncertainty and raised the risk of regional instability.

The US is hosting the tournament with Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19.

Fans from Iran were already banned from entering the US in the first iteration of the travel ban announced by the Trump administration.

FIFA is yet to react to the uncertainty over Iran’s participation in the World Cup.

With AP inputs

Zahra Ghanbari (Image credit: X)

NEW DELHI: Football chiefs offered “full support and assistance” to the Iranian team in Australia on Sunday for the Women’s Asian Cup after the United States and Israel launched massive attacks on their homeland. Iran’s 26-strong squad arrived on the Gold Coast days before the strikes on Saturday killed supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as Washington and Tel Aviv seek to topple the Islamic republic.They are due to open their tournament on Monday against South Korea.

The Asian Football Confederation said in a statement it “continues to closely monitor the recent developments in the Middle East during this challenging period”.“The AFC’s foremost priority remains the welfare, safety and security of all players, coaches, officials and fans,” it added.“In this regard, we are in close and regular contact with the Iran women’s national team and officials on the Gold Coast and are offering our full support and assistance.”Iran coach Marziyeh Jafari held a pre-match press conference on Sunday but focused on football, saying the tournament was a chance to show “the potential of Iranian women”.“After the league season in Iran, we came together for three training camps, before coming to Australia where we have had a few fruitful sessions, so I hope tomorrow we can show you a good match,” she said.The 12-team tournament, which kicks off Sunday, will be one of the biggest stages ever for many Iranian players.They made a historic debut at the last Asian Cup in India in 2022 and suffered heavy defeats against China and Taiwan, but it made them national heroes in a country where women’s rights are severely restricted.“In India in 2022, the group was a little easier, now in 2026 we enter with more experience but the group is more tough,” said Jafari of a group that also includes hosts Australia and the Philippines.“But we (still) want to show in these games the potential of Iranian women.”Iran showed grit to come through a challenging qualifying campaign for Australia that culminated with a win against favourites Jordan to seal a back-to-back appearance.Skipper Zahra Ghanbari said she was dreaming big.“I believe this tournament is great with great teams, but we really want to qualify for the World Cup,” said the 33-year-old.“We know these will be tough games, but we have a tough mentality and we want to do our best.”The top six finishers will qualify for the 2027 World Cup in Brazil.