Trump warns Iran soccer team’s ‘life and safety’ may be at risk months after FIFA Peace Prize

WASHINGTON, DC: Donald Trump has warned the Iranian soccer team, claiming that their “life and safety” could be at risk as they will be in the US for the FIFA World Cup 2026. The president’s warning came just a few months after he received the first-ever FIFA Peace Prize at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC.

The Republican leader’s statement also came at a time when a war is going on between the US and Iran, which saw the killing of Tehran’s former Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, on February 28.

Trump says it's not appropriate for Iran's soccer team to come to US

Trump, in a Truth Social post, wrote on Thursday, March 12, “The Iran National Soccer Team is welcome to The World Cup, but I really don’t believe it is appropriate that they be there, for their own life and safety.”

But the team appeared to thrash the president’s warning in an Instagram Stories post. The online statement read, “The World Cup is a historic and international event and its governing body is FIFA - not any individual, country. Iran's national team, with strength and a series of decisive victories achieved by the brave sons of Iran, was among the first teams to qualify for this major tournament.”

“Certainly, no one can exclude Iran's national team from the World Cup; the only country that could be excluded is one that merely carries the title of 'host' yet lacks the ability to provide security for the teams participating in this global event,” the team added.

Gianni Infantino claims Trump welcomed Iran's soccer team

Also, FIFA president Gianni Infantino had shared a few days ago that he had a discussion with Trump regarding the Iranian soccer team coming to the US.

“President Trump reiterated that the Iranian team is, of course, welcome to compete in the tournament in the United States. We all need an event like the FIFA World Cup to bring people together now more than ever, and I sincerely thank the President of the United States for his support, as it shows once again that Football Unites the World,” a Tuesday post shared by Infantino read.

Trump called the best host for FIFA World Cup

In December last year, Trump was honored with the FIFA Peace Prize. At the time, Andrew Giuliani, the son of Rudy Giuliani and executive director of Trump's White House Task Force on the 2026 World Cup, said, “The president is the consummate host.”

“Is there any other president that can handle inviting the world in and being a better host than Donald J Trump?” he added.

Also, FIFA President stated that the Republican leader “definitely deserves the first FIFA Peace Prize for your action, for what you have obtained in your way, but you obtained it in an incredible way.”

“And you can always count, Mr President, on my support, on the support of the entire soccer community to help you make peace and make the world prosper,” he claimed.