How Iran Will Fare in the 2026 World Cup

Did US President Donald Trump guarantee the safety of the Iranian national team players if they compete in America?

United States President Donald Trump does not guarantee the safety of the Iranian national football team if they continue to participate in the 2026 World Cup. Referring to Trump's statement, FIFA—the highest football authority in the world—should reconsider holding this year's football festival in the "Land of Uncle Sam." Indonesia experienced this in 2023.

"The Iranian football team is welcomed at the World Cup, but I truly do not believe that they are there for their lives and safety," said Trump in a statement on his personal Truth Social account, Thursday (12/3/2026) local time or Friday (13/3/2026) midnight WIB.

Trump's statement reinforces the earlier remarks made by his friend, FIFA President Gianni Infantino, on Thursday. Trump held a special meeting with Infantino to focus on discussing Iran's fate in the 2026 World Cup.

"President Trump reiterated that Iran is, of course, welcome to compete in tournaments in the United States," Infantino said.

However, Infantino's statement contradicts the lack of effort from FIFA to provide equality to Iran, similar to the 41 other teams that have already secured their places in the upcoming summer tournament.

There was no encouragement from FIFA to the US Government to approve the visa applications of six members of the Iranian delegation, including the President of the Iranian Football Federation (FFIRI) Mehdi Taj, to attend the draw ceremony for the qualifying round in December 2025, in Washington DC.

What are the dilemmas faced by the Iranian national team in facing the 2026 World Cup?

The fate of the Iranian national team in the 2026 World Cup is truly at a crossroads. The potential withdrawal from the grand football event is very much on the table as the "Team Melli" squad wishes to show solidarity with their fellow countrymen and their families amid the attacks by the United States-Israel coalition. However, withdrawing from the 2026 World Cup would put Iran at risk of facing a "tsunami" of sanctions from FIFA.

On the other hand, if they continue to compete in North America 2026, Mehdi Taremi and his teammates will face a difficult situation due to the potential of the team not arriving in full due to visa issues. Iran will also be uncomfortable performing in the US as they will receive tight security from US law enforcement.

From a political standpoint, Iran will face the potential of "defectors" within the Iranian squad who refuse to return to their homeland after competing. This refers to the incident involving seven players from the Iranian women's team who sought asylum from the Australian Government after participating in the 2026 Women's Asian Cup this March.

From Iran's perspective, withdrawing from the 2026 World Cup is a realistic decision. The preparation of Team Melli for the coveted tournament for every footballer in the world has been significantly disrupted. The Iran Pro League has been halted since February 27. In fact, the domestic competition is the backbone for Iranian Coach Amir Ghalenoei in forming the squad.

When will Iran be threatened with being unable to participate in the 2026 World Cup in the United States?

Only a few days after the US-Iran war began, President of the United States Donald Trump has already signaled that Iran will not be able to participate in the 2026 World Cup. Now, the fate of "Team Melli's" participation is entirely in the hands of FIFA as the organizer of the largest football festival, which will commence on June 11.

Iran and Japan are the two earliest teams to secure tickets to the 2026 World Cup. Under the guidance of Coach Amir Ghalenoei, Iran will participate in its seventh World Cup. Iran has consistently represented Asia in four consecutive editions of the World Cup since the 2014 edition in Brazil.

With the situation of war against the US-Israel coalition, Iran's right to participate in the 2026 World Cup is at significant risk of being revoked by the US as the host nation. US President Donald Trump has sent signals indicating that entry visas will not be granted to the Iranian team and staff.

"I really don't care (if Iran participates in the 2026 World Cup)," said Trump in a special interview with POLITICO, Tuesday (3/3/2025), in Washington DC, USA. The interview was published on Tuesday afternoon US time or Wednesday (4/3/2026) early morning WIB.

Can Indonesia replace Iran if Iran cancels its participation in the 2026 World Cup?

The coalition's attacks by the United States and Israel on several regions in Iran have the potential to affect the participation of the Iranian national football team in the 2026 World Cup. The threat to Iran's participation is not merely about the disrupted preparations of "Team Melli," but also an indication of the U.S. intention to block Iran's presence in North America this summer.

Iran—participating for the seventh time in the World Cup—is grouped in Group G of the 2026 World Cup alongside New Zealand, Belgium, and Egypt. One of Asia's representatives will begin its competition on June 16 at 08:00 WIB against New Zealand.

Iran's first two matches in the 2026 World Cup will take place at SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, Los Angeles, USA. Iran's final match in the group stage will be held at Lumen Field, Seattle, USA.

Certainly, there is no guarantee from the US Government to issue visas to Iranian players and coaching staff for the 2026 World Cup. Although FIFA assures that all participating players and officials will receive visas to enter US territory, the fate of the Iranian squad truly lies in the hands of the US.

If Iran's name is eliminated as one of the 48 participants in the 2026 World Cup, Group G will certainly undergo adjustments. Considering the competition and commercial aspects, FIFA will not allow Group G to consist of only three teams.

This situation will force FIFA to seek a replacement for Iran. The potential replacement for Iran is likely to come from the representatives of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

The highest-ranked team in the 2026 World Cup qualification for the Asian zone will be a strong candidate to replace Iran. Iraq and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are the most potential representatives from Asia to fill Iran's slot. This refers to their performance in the fourth round of the 2026 World Cup qualification.