The U.S. government has clarified its stance on Iran's participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, stating that Iranian athletes are welcome to compete but individuals with ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) will not be permitted entry. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed on Thursday that Washington has no objections to Iran's team playing in the tournament, which begins on June 11 across the U.S., Mexico, and Canada. However, he emphasized that the U.S. will not allow IRGC-affiliated individuals to enter the country under the guise of being part of the team. 'They can't bring a bunch of IRGC terrorists into our country and pretend that they are journalists and athletic trainers,' Rubio stated. The U.S. has designated the IRGC as a 'foreign terrorist organization.'
President Donald Trump also reiterated that his administration does not intend to affect the athletes themselves. The U.S. has previously restricted entry for nationals from 39 countries, including Iran, and imposed a bond requirement for visitors from 50 countries attending the tournament. Meanwhile, Paolo Zampolli, a Trump envoy, suggested that Italy could replace Iran in the tournament, a proposal that Italy's sports officials swiftly rejected as 'not appropriate.' Italian Sports Minister Andrea Abodi stated, 'Qualification is done on the pitch.' Iran had requested to move its group matches from the U.S. to Mexico after the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on February 28, but FIFA rejected the request.