Iran still to play in World Cup says Asian football body

KUALA LUMPUR: The Iranian men’s football team is still planning to play in the upcoming World Cup in North America, Asian football officials said Monday, despite a warning that they may be at risk.

President Donald Trump warned the team on Thursday that their “life and safety” could be at risk, should they attend this summer’s football extravaganza, co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The war, triggered by US-Israeli strikes on February 28, has thrown into doubt Iran’s participation.

“As far as we know, Iran is playing,” said Windsor Paul John, the Asian Football Confederation’s general secretary.

“We are monitoring whether they are playing or not, but at the moment they are. There is no official information that they are not playing,” he told a press conference at the AFC’s headquarters in Kuala Lumpur.

Windsor stressed that the AFC wanted Iran, a “top team”, to play in the global showpiece.

“So we hope that they will solve their issues… and be able to participate in the World Cup,” he said.

Trump, in a post on his Truth Social Platform said the Iranian team was welcome, “but I really don’t believe it is appropriate that they be there, for their own life and safety.”

Iran ‘welcome to compete’ in World Cup: Trump

Meanwhile the captain of the Iranian women’s football team, which played in the Asian Cup in Australia, withdrew her bid for asylum on Sunday.

Seven members of Iran’s visiting football delegation competing in the Women’s Asian Cup had sought sanctuary in Australia after they were branded “traitors” at home for refusing to sing the national anthem.

Following the captain’s reported move to go back on her asylum request, only two of them are now set to remain in Australia.

A former player and a Persian-language TV channel based outside Iran said the players had been pressured to reverse their stance through threats against families.

Iranian authorities accused Australia of pressuring the players to stay.

The players returning to Iran were at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur awaiting their onward travel.

Asked about the women’s immediate future, Windsor said the AFC was waiting for word from the team “when they want to leave.”

“It’s their decision and we will support that,” he said.