U.S. says Iran can play in 2026 World Cup

April 24, 2026

Summary

Rubio said Iranian players could compete in the 2026 World Cup, though some staff with IRGC ties may be denied entry.

Why this matters

The comments indicate the U.S. does not plan to block Iran’s team from playing in a major international tournament it is co-hosting. They also show how security and diplomatic tensions could affect who is allowed to travel with national teams.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington had not told Iran’s national team it could not play in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but said some accompanying personnel could be barred if they had ties to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

“Nothing from the US has told them they can’t come,” Rubio told reporters.

“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 Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a foreign terrorist organization. President Donald Trump, speaking alongside Rubio, said his administration “would not want to affect the athletes.”

The World Cup is set to begin June 11 in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Iran’s participation had been questioned because all of its group-stage matches are scheduled to be played in the United States.

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U.S. says Iran can play in 2026 World Cup

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