Donald Trump Breaks Silence on Iran Boycotting 2026 World Cup: “I Don’t Care”
- Donald Trump has weighed in on reports that Iran could boycott the 2026 World Cup amid escalating tensions between Tehran and the United States and Israel
- In a blunt interview, Trump said he “really doesn’t care” whether Iran participates in the tournament
- Should Iran opt out of the Mundial, two nations from Asia have been reportedly earmarked as their replacements
US President Donald Trump has broken his silence about Iran's potential boycott of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which starts in three months.
The Middle Eastern nation did not state explicitly that they would be absenting themselves from a tournament they qualified for as early as March 2025. However, Iran's FA president stressed it did not bode well for the competition.
Source: Getty Images
Iran hints at World Cup boycott
"It's not possible to say exactly, but there will certainly be a response," Mehdi Taj, president of the Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran, said, as quoted by Reuters.
"This will surely be studied by the country's high-ranking sports officials and there will be a decision on what's going to happen.
"But what we can say now is that due to this attack and its viciousness, it is far from our expectations that we can look at the World Cup with hope."
Those remarks have fuelled speculation that Iran might stay away from the global showpiece after the U.S. and Israel carried out air strikes on Iran, an operation that reportedly led to the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
For context, the Middle Eastern nation was notably absent from a recent FIFA planning summit for participating countries held in Atlanta, further intensifying the debate.
Source: Getty Images
Trump reacts to Iran's World Cup boycott
Asked about the situation, Trump offered a firm stance.
"I really don't care. I think Iran is a very badly defeated country. They're running on fumes," he told Politico.
Meanwhile, the world's football governing body has responded cautiously. FIFA confirmed it is monitoring developments in the region as preparations continue.
Iran has been drawn in Group G alongside Belgium, Egypt and New Zealand. Interestingly, all their group fixtures are scheduled to take place on American soil: two matches in Los Angeles and one in Seattle.
Should the Persian Stars opt out, replacements would need to be drafted. Iraq and United Arab Emirates are reportedly among the frontrunners to step in.
For now, the football world waits. With the countdown ticking, it remains unclear whether Iran will take their place at the biggest tournament on the planet or join the list of nations that have previously boycotted the World Cup.
9 countries that boycotted the World Cup
In a previous publication, YEN.com.gh took a closer look at the nine countries that have historically pulled out of FIFA World Cup competition, putting Iran’s recent hint of a possible 2026 withdrawal into perspective.
Throughout the tournament’s history, boycotts and walkouts have occasionally altered football’s biggest stage – none more striking than the collective absence of every African nation from the 1966 World Cup.
Source: YEN.com.gh
