President of the United States, Donald Trump, has said he “does not care” if Iran take part in this summer’s 2026 World Cup.
The comments of Trump come in the face of US and Israeli strikes on Iran, which has replied by launching attacks on US-allied states in the Gulf in an escalating conflict.
The US is co-hosting the World Cup which takes place between 11 June and 19 July, alongside Canada and Mexico.
“I really don’t care,” Trump told Politico, external about Iran playing in the tournament.
“I think Iran is a very badly defeated country. They’re running on fumes.”
Iran have qualified for a World Cup, for a fourth-consecutive time and are slated to start their World Cup campaign against New Zealand and Belgium in Los Angeles before their final group game against Egypt in Seattle.
Iran did not pull out of the competition last summer when the US bombed three nuclear facilities in the country.
But with the more serious present turmoil, the head of Iran’s football federation, Mehdi Taj, has reportedly raised doubt on their participation.
Taj told Iranian television that it was “far from our expectations that we can look at the World Cup with hope”. He added the country’s sports officials would decide if any action was necessary.
On Saturday, Fifa’s general secretary Mattias Grafstrom said: “Our focus is to have a safe World Cup with everybody participating.”
