U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has confirmed that Iran’s men’s national football team remains eligible to participate in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, dismissing recent speculation that Italy could replace them in the tournament.
Speaking from the Oval Office, Rubio stated clearly that no U.S. Official had informed Iran that they were barred from attending the World Cup, which will be hosted jointly by the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
“Niemand in den USA hat ihnen gesagt, dass sie nicht kommen könnten,” Rubio said, according to verified reports from German news outlets. “Nobody in the United States has told them they cannot reach.”
He emphasized that Iran’s participation is solely their decision: “Wenn sie von sich aus entscheiden, nicht zu kommen, dann ist das, weil sie sich dazu entschieden haben, nicht zu kommen.” (“If they decide on their own not to come, then it is because they have decided not to come.”)
The clarification came after reports emerged that Paolo Zampolli, a special advisor to former U.S. President Donald Trump, had proposed to both Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino that Italy be invited to take Iran’s place at the tournament.
Zampolli told the Financial Times that he had suggested the idea as a means to repair strained relations between Trump and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Though, both the Iranian and Italian governments rejected the notion.
Italy’s Sports Minister Andrea Abodi countered that his nation had not qualified for the 2026 World Cup and therefore had no right to participate: “Erstens, es ist nicht möglich…” (“Firstly, it is not possible…”), citing Italy’s failure to secure a spot through confederation qualifying.
While affirming Iran’s right to attend, Rubio noted potential complications regarding certain members of the Iranian delegation. He warned that individuals with ties to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) — designated a terrorist organization by the United States — could face entry restrictions.
“Das Problem mit dem Iran wären nicht die Athleten, sondern einige der anderen Personen, die sie mitbringen wollten, von denen manche Verbindungen zu den IRGC haben,” Rubio explained. (“The problem with Iran would not be the athletes, but some of the other people they wanted to bring, some of whom have ties to the IRGC.”)
He added: “Wir könnten sie möglicherweise nicht ins Land lassen, aber nicht die Athleten selbst.” (“We might not be able to let them in, but not the athletes themselves.”)
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will feature an expanded format of 48 teams, with matches scheduled across 16 host cities in the three North American nations. Iran qualified for the tournament through the Asian Football Confederation’s third round of qualifying, securing their place alongside traditional powers like Japan and South Korea.
Iran’s national team, known as Team Melli, has appeared in six previous World Cups, most recently in 2022 in Qatar, where they lost to the United States in a politically charged group-stage match. Their best performance came in 1978, 1998, and 2006, when they advanced beyond the group stage.
As of April 2026, Iran’s squad is under the guidance of head coach Amir Ghalenoei, who took charge in September 2022. Key players include striker Mehdi Taremi, midfielder Alireza Jahanbakhsh, and goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand, all of whom compete in European leagues.
No official draw for the 2026 World Cup group stage has been released as of this writing, with FIFA expected to announce the final groupings later in 2025. The tournament is scheduled to begin in June 2026, with the final set for July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Rubio’s remarks underscore the United States’ role as a host nation committed to upholding FIFA’s principles of neutrality and sporting access, even amid complex geopolitical tensions. His statement reaffirms that athletic participation should not be contingent on political considerations, while acknowledging legitimate security protocols for non-athlete delegation members.
For continued updates on the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification process, team preparations, and host nation developments, readers are encouraged to follow official communications from FIFA and the respective national federations.
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