Iran’s nationwide workforce poses for a photograph earlier than its World Cup qualifier in opposition to Uzbekistan in March 2025. — AFP
Secretary of State Marco Rubio mentioned on Thursday Washington had no objections to Iranian gamers taking part within the 2026 Fifa World Cup however he added the gamers won’t be allowed to convey with them individuals with ties to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
“Nothing from the US has told them they can’t come,” Rubio advised reporters.
President Donald Trump additionally mentioned his administration “would not want to affect the athletes” in feedback he made on the White Home.
The 2026 soccer World Cup is about to start on June 11 throughout the US, Mexico and Canada.
Paolo Zampolli, a Trump envoy who has no official reference to the World Cup, had earlier recommended that Italy ought to change Iran on the event.
“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 mentioned.
“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 organisation.”
Presently there is no such thing as a suggestion Iran will withdraw or be banned from the event that Italy missed out on.
After the beginning of the Iran struggle, Iran requested that Fifa transfer the workforce’s three group matches from the US to Mexico, which was rejected.
The US and Israel attacked Iran on February 28. Iran responded with its personal strikes on Israel and Gulf states with US bases. US-Israeli strikes on Iran and Israeli assaults in Lebanon have killed hundreds and displaced tens of millions. A fragile ceasefire within the Iran struggle started over two weeks in the past.
