President Donald Trump said Thursday that Iran should not compete in the upcoming World Cup hosted in North America, despite assuring the FIFA president days earlier that they would be welcome amid the war in the Middle East.
“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 wrote on Truth Social.
His post came two days after FIFA President Gianni Infantino said he had spoken with Trump “about the situation in Iran,” and was assured by the president that the Iranian soccer team is “welcome to compete” at the World Cup held in North America this summer.
“During the discussions, President Trump reiterated that the Iranian team is, of course, welcome to compete in the tournament in the United States,” Infantino said in an Instagram post on Tuesday. “We all need an event like the FIFA World Cup to bring people together now more than ever, and I sincerely thank the President of the United States for his support, as it shows once again that Football Unites the World.”
But hours later, Iran’s sports minister Ahmad Donyamali said the country will not be participating in the event, which is set to begin in less than 100 days.
“Considering that this corrupt regime has assassinated our leader, under no circumstances can we participate in the World Cup,” Donyamali told state television, according to Reuters, referring to the killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. “Our children are not safe and, fundamentally, such conditions for participation do not exist.”
Iran’s participation has been in question after the country was notably absent from a recent FIFA planning meeting in Atlanta.
Trump told POLITICO earlier this month he did not care whether Iran ultimately participates.
“I really don’t care,” he said. “I think Iran is a very badly defeated country. They’re running on fumes.”
The Iranian team is scheduled to play three group-stage matches in the U.S. in June — two in Los Angeles against New Zealand and Belgium, and one in Seattle against Egypt.