Trump discourages Iranian soccer team from attending the World Cup, citing safety concerns

Associated Press (AP)CenterEN 5 min read 100% complete by By  SEUNG MIN KIM and GRAHAM DUNBARMarch 12, 2026 at 11:23 PM
Trump discourages Iranian soccer team from attending the World Cup, citing safety concerns

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long article 5 min

President Donald Trump has discouraged the Iranian national soccer team from attending the upcoming World Cup, which is co-hosted by the United States. Trump cited safety concerns for the Iranian players as the reason, referencing ongoing tensions between the two countries. He stated that it might not be "appropriate" for them to attend for their own well-being. This statement contrasts with earlier remarks made to FIFA President Gianni Infantino at the White House. Iranian leaders had previously indicated that participation in the World Cup was "not possible" for the country. The World Cup is scheduled for this year, with the United States as one of the host nations.

Keywords

world cup 100% iranian soccer team 90% safety concerns 80% donald trump 70% united states 60% fifa 50% international relations 40%

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Neutral
Score: -0.10

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Source
Associated Press (AP)
Political Lean
Center (0.00)
Far LeftCenterFar Right
Classification Confidence
90%

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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