Iran football official accuses World Cup hosts of politicising tournament
Iranian Football Federation spokesperson Amirmehdi Alavi has criticised U.S. President Donald Trump’s comments about Iran’s participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, accusing the tournament’s hosts of allowing politics to overshadow football.
In an interaction with Viory, Alavi said the president of a World Cup host nation should be offering assurances to participating teams, not raising doubts about their safety.
“The president of the host country for the World Cup, rather than offering a welcome or saying that everything is ready here, declares that they are not prepared to host or ensure the safety of one team,” Alavi said.
He added that the tournament had become “completely intertwined with politicisation” despite FIFA’s efforts to keep football separate from political tensions.
“It is FIFA’s duty, as the institution responsible for legislation, supervision, and enforcement, to prevent this phenomenon from becoming even more political,” Alavi said.
His remarks followed Trump’s March 12 post on Truth Social, in which he said Iran’s national team was welcome at the World Cup but questioned whether it was appropriate for them to participate “for their own life and safety.”
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, but Iran are scheduled to play all three of their Group G matches in the United States. The team will face New Zealand and Belgium in Los Angeles before playing Egypt in Seattle.
Alavi said seeking alternative venues for Iran’s matches was “not possible” under FIFA protocols.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said last month that Washington had no objection to Iranian athletes taking part in the tournament, but suggested that members of Iran’s delegation with links to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps could face restrictions.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
