FILE - Irans's players pose for a team photo before an Asian group A qualifying soccer match against North Korea for the 2026 World Cup, June 10, 2025, at Azadi Stadium in Tehran, Iran. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi, file)
VSKUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) 鈥 A leading soccer official in Asia says Iran is still set to play at the World Cup which kicks off in June in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
In a in reaction to comments from , Iran鈥檚 national soccer team said 鈥渘o one can exclude鈥 it from playing in the global tournament.
On Monday, Asian Football Confederation general secretary Windsor John said the sport's continental governing body has heard nothing to suggest Iran won't contest the World Cup.
鈥淭hey are our member. We want them to play,鈥 he told a news conference in Kuala Lumpur, where the AFC is based. 鈥淎s far as we know, Iran is playing.聽
鈥淚t's a very emotional moment, everybody is saying a lot of things. At the end of the day, it鈥檚 the (Iran soccer) federation who should decide if they鈥檙e playing and, as for today, the federation 鈥 has told us that they're going to the World Cup.鈥
Trump had posted on social media that the Iranian team was welcome at the World Cup but that 鈥淚 really don鈥檛 believe it is appropriate that they be there, for their own life and safety.鈥澛
Iran is set to play all three of its World Cup group games in the U.S., which is co-hosting the tournament with Mexico and Canada.
The regional war has put doubt on Iran鈥檚 ability to fulfill its World Cup entry, and told state TV last week that the current circumstances meant it was not possible to play.
But the Iran team鈥檚 riposte on Instagram confirmed it still wants to participate, and pointed out that the tournament is run by FIFA, soccer's world governing body, not Trump or the U.S.
Iran is scheduled to play in Inglewood, California, against New Zealand on June 16 and Belgium on June 21, before finishing group play in Seattle against Egypt on June 27.
Iran is a power in Asian soccer, ranked No. 20 in the world by FIFA and has qualified for its fourth straight World Cup edition.
Before the World Cup, Iranian soccer officials are due to attend FIFA鈥檚 annual congress on April 30 in Vancouver. The Iranian federation was unable to attend meetings in Atlanta last week to help teams prepare for the 48-nation tournament.
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