United States President Donald Trump has said he is not concerned about the possibility of Iran boycotting the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
In an interview with Politico on Tuesday, Trump said he “really does not care” whether Iran participates in the tournament.
He described Iran as a “badly defeated country” that is “running on fumes,” while commenting on the ongoing military conflict involving the United States and Israel against Iran.
The war reportedly began on February 28 after joint military operations by the US and Israel. Following the attacks, Iran launched retaliatory strikes targeting US-allied nations in parts of the Middle East, further escalating tensions in the region. The situation has raised global concerns, with fears that the conflict could spread and affect international events, including major sporting competitions.
The 2026 World Cup will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, marking the first time three countries will stage the tournament together. The competition is scheduled to kick off on June 11, 2026, and will feature an expanded format of 48 teams, making it the largest World Cup in history.
Iran successfully qualified for the tournament and has been drawn in Group G alongside Egypt, Belgium and New Zealand. The Iranian national team is expected to play its group-stage matches in cities such as Seattle and locations in California in the United States.
However, uncertainty remains over Iran’s participation. Mehdi Taj, president of the Iranian Football Association, recently stated that it is “unlikely that we can look forward to the World Cup” given the current security situation.
He noted that the final decision on whether the team will compete would be taken by the country’s sports authorities.
Despite the growing tension, tournament organisers have not announced any changes to the schedule, and preparations for the 2026 World Cup continue as planned.
