Iran Men’s Football Team Plans to Play World Cup Despite Security Concerns: AFC

Kuala Lumpur, March 2026 : Iran’s national men’s football team is still expected to participate in the upcoming FIFA World Cup in North America, Asian football officials said on Monday, despite warnings about potential security risks linked to the ongoing conflict involving the country.

According to the Asian Football Confederation, there has been no official communication indicating that Iran national football team will withdraw from the tournament. The World Cup is scheduled to be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

AFC General Secretary Windsor Paul John said that, as far as the organisation is aware, Iran still intends to compete in the global tournament.

“As far as we know, Iran is playing,” he said during a press conference at the AFC headquarters in Kuala Lumpur. “We are monitoring the situation, but at the moment there is no official information suggesting they will not participate.”

His remarks come amid rising tensions following the conflict that began on February 28 after military strikes involving the United States and Israel. The war has raised uncertainty over Iran’s participation in international sporting events, including football’s biggest tournament.

Earlier, Donald Trump warned that the Iranian team could face security risks if it travels to North America for the competition. In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump said the Iranian squad would be welcome to participate but suggested that their presence could put their safety at risk.

“The Iranian team is welcome, but I really don’t think it’s appropriate for them to be there, especially for their own life and safety,” he wrote.

Despite these concerns, AFC officials reiterated their hope that Iran would be able to resolve the challenges and take part in the tournament. Windsor emphasised that Iran is considered a strong footballing nation and a valuable participant in the competition.

“Iran is a top team,” he said. “We hope they can resolve their issues and participate in the World Cup.”

Meanwhile, developments involving Iran’s women’s football team have also drawn attention. The captain of the Iran women’s national football team, who had participated in the Women’s Asian Cup in Australia, reportedly withdrew her asylum application on Sunday.

Earlier, seven members of the Iranian football delegation that travelled to Australia for the tournament had sought asylum there. The move followed controversy after the players refused to sing the national anthem during the event, a gesture that reportedly led to them being labelled “traitors” in Iran.

Following the captain’s decision to withdraw her asylum request, only two members of the delegation are now expected to remain in Australia.

Reports from a former Iranian player and a Persian-language television channel based outside Iran suggested that the athletes may have faced pressure to change their decision after their families allegedly received threats. However, Iranian authorities rejected such claims and instead accused Australia of encouraging the players to remain in the country.

At present, members of the Iranian women’s football delegation are staying at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur while awaiting further travel arrangements back to Iran.

When asked about their immediate future, Windsor said the AFC was waiting for the team to confirm when they plan to depart.

“We are waiting to see when they want to leave,” he said, adding that the confederation continues to coordinate with the team regarding their travel plans.

The situation highlights the growing intersection of global politics and international sport, particularly as tensions in the Middle East continue to influence the participation and safety of athletes on the world stage.

(The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)