Former US President Donald Trump has claimed in a social media post that Iran's national football team participating in the FIFA World Cup is "not appropriate". His comment came after Iranian authorities ruled out their team's involvement in the tournament, co-hosted by the US, Mexico, and Canada, amid the ongoing US-Israeli assault against Iran.
Trump wrote on social media: "The Iran National Soccer Team is welcome to The World Cup, but I really don’t believe it is appropriate that they be there, for their own life and safety", without elaborating on his reasoning. Iran's group-stage matches against New Zealand, Belgium, and Egypt are scheduled to take place in the US, in the Los Angeles area and Seattle, Washington.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who is close to Trump, stated in his own social media post that Trump told him the Iranian team would be welcomed in the US. Infantino said: "We all need an event like the FIFA World Cup to bring people together now more than ever, and I sincerely thank the President of the United States for his support, as it shows once again that Football Unites the World".
However, FIFA faced criticism for awarding Trump a "peace prize" in December of last year. Rights advocates questioned the football governing body's commitment to political "neutrality". Less than four months after receiving the FIFA prize, Trump launched an all-out assault against Iran that escalated into a regional war, killing nearly 2,000 people and displacing many more.
FIFA has also encountered broad criticism for perceived inconsistencies in addressing global conflicts. The association was quick to ban Russia after the invasion of Ukraine in 2021, but it has resisted calls to sanction Israel despite the genocidal war in Gaza. The Israeli football association's links to teams based in illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank have also drawn criticism and calls for suspension.
With Iran unlikely to participate in the upcoming World Cup, FIFA will need to decide how to handle the team's absence. According to the tournament's regulations, if any participating member association withdraws and/or is excluded from the FIFA World Cup 2026, FIFA shall decide on the matter at its sole discretion and take whatever action is deemed necessary. FIFA may decide to replace the association in question with another association.
It is unclear whether FIFA has time to replace Iran. One option could be selecting the highest-ranked team in Asia that did not qualify for the tournament. Iran's Group G could also be played under special rules with three teams instead of four.
Source: www.aljazeera.com