President Donald Trump stated that he does not care if Iran competes in the 2026 World Cup during an interview with the American network NBC. The United States, Canada, and Mexico are co-hosting the tournament this summer. Iran have yet to qualify for the finals, but they currently lead their qualifying group in the Asian Football Confederation.
Trump told NBC that the US would facilitate the entry of all qualifying teams and their fans. He noted that he would not block any nation from participating based on political tensions. The President confirmed the US government will issue visas to players and supporters from all qualifying countries, per Reuters.
Security remains a primary concern for the tournament organisers across the three host nations. The 2026 World Cup will be the first edition to feature 48 teams. The President's comments follow questions regarding the potential diplomatic difficulties of hosting certain nations. FIFA regulations require host countries to guarantee entry to all teams that qualify for the tournament, according to ESPN.
