Trump rubbishes Iran participation in US-hosted World Cup

US President Donald Trump said he doesn’t really care about the Iranian national team’s participation in the 2026 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico this year.

Trump’s remarks came in an interview with Politico, where he was asked about Iran’s participation in the upcoming men’s football World Cup:

I really don’t care. I think Iran is a very badly defeated country. They’re running on fumes.

Whose fault is that, shithead?

Trump leads unprovoked attack on Iran

Trump’s statement coincided with the escalation of conflict in the Middle East following the US-Israeli attack on Iran last Saturday.

The Iranian national team had qualified for the World Cup for the fourth consecutive time. They will begin their campaign against New Zealand and Belgium in Los Angeles and conclude the group stage against Egypt in Seattle.

There has been no official announcement from Tehran regarding withdrawal from the tournament, despite the recent military developments. Iranian Football Federation President Mehdi Taj told Iranian state television:

 It is far from our expectations that we can look at the World Cup with hope.

However, a final decision has not yet been made. FIFA unveiled the official poster for the tournament on Tuesday, marking 100 days until its start, a move that underscores the ongoing organizational preparations for the edition to be hosted by 16 cities across the three countries.

Iran’s participation in the World Cup remains contingent on developments in the regional landscape in the coming days and the unfolding of the current conflict in the Middle East.

Featured image via the Canary