Iranian team withdraws from World Cup after US President Donald
The Iran national soccer team has officially withdrawn its bid for 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification following warnings of potential violence and death threats issued by U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter). While Iranian officials firmly rejected these concerns as false rumors, asserting that the tournament belongs to all nations rather than specific countries or individuals who may threaten them, they cited safety risks in their decision-making process regarding participation for 2019 World Cup qualifiers.
Key Points
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1Iran's sports minister announced the country is withdrawing from the 2026 World Cup following US President Donald Trump's warnings about safety risks.
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2Donald Trump stated that while Iran would be welcome at a future event, their participation in this specific tournament was inappropriate and could endanger players' lives. FIFA has confirmed it accepts Iranian competition for its own reasons but did not explicitly endorse the match itself.
Developments
Perspectives
Donald Trump stated that while he welcomes the Iranian national soccer team to compete in the 2026 World Cup, it is not appropriate for them due to safety concerns.
— [Mar 13, 16:15] Iran withdraws from 2026 World Cup, sports minister says - Roya NewsThe Iranian national soccer team responded by firing back at Donald Trump's warning about potential risks and the decision not to participate in the tournament.
— [Mar 13, 16:15] Iran withdraws from 2026 World Cup, sports minister says - Roya NewsIran has demanded that President Biden also leave his country for safety reasons following Trump's comments regarding their participation at the FIFA event in Qatar.
— [Mar 13, 16:15] Iran withdraws from 2026 World Cup, sports minister says - Roya NewsDonald Trump criticized Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi for not being 'appropriate' to participate and suggested that his presence at the event could be dangerous.
— [Mar 13, 16:15] Iran withdraws from 2026 World Cup, sports minister says - Roya NewsIran's response emphasizes their stance on international events being organized by FIFA rather than individual nations and questions Trump's authority to make such decisions.
— [Mar 13, 07:45] Lantang Balas Donald Trump, Iran Minta AS Mundur dari Piala Dunia 2026 Gegara Tak Becus (Tribunnews)Iran has withdrawn from the 2026 World Cup following warnings of potential safety risks, a move confirmed by its sports minister. This decision comes after President Donald Trump stated that while his administration welcomes Iran to compete in Houston and Las Vegas for security reasons deemed appropriate under US law at this time