US says it does not object to Iran playing in World Cup but people with ties to IRGC won’t be allowed
New Delhi: U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Thursday that Washington has no objection to Iranian players competing in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, though individuals with links to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) would not be permitted entry.
“Nothing from the U.S. has told them they can’t come,” Rubio told reporters.
President Donald Trump also emphasised that his administration does not intend to penalize athletes, stating that they “would not want to affect the athletes” during remarks he made at the White House.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is scheduled to kick off on June 11 and will be hosted across the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
Earlier, Paolo Zampolli—who is not officially connected to the tournament—suggested that Italy could replace Iran in the competition.
“The problem with Iran would be not their athletes. It would be some of the other people they would want to bring with them, some of whom have ties to the IRGC. We may not be able to let them in but not the athletes themselves,” Rubio said.
They can’t bring a bunch of IRGC terrorists into our country and pretend that they are journalists and athletic trainers,” Rubio added. Washington has designated the IRGC as a “foreign terrorist organization.”
At present, there is no indication that Iran will withdraw from or be barred from the tournament, which Italy failed to qualify for.
Following the outbreak of the Iran war, Iranian authorities requested that their three group-stage matches be shifted from the U.S. to Mexico, but the request was declined by FIFA.
Tensions escalated after strikes involving the U.S. and Israel against Iran on February 28, prompting retaliatory attacks by Iran on Israel and Gulf states hosting U.S. bases. The conflict, along with Israeli operations in Lebanon, has resulted in significant casualties and displacement. A fragile ceasefire has been in place for over two weeks.
(DD News)
