The United States signalled on Thursday that Iranian players will be permitted to take part in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, while drawing a firm boundary around team travel and delegation access.

Speaking alongside President Donald Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said there were no objections to Iran’s national team competing in the tournament, but made clear that individuals linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) would be denied entry into the country. “Nothing from the US has told them they can’t come,” Rubio told reporters.

Rubio emphasized that the issue was not with the players themselves, but with non-playing personnel accompanying the squad. “The problem with Iran would be not their athletes. It would be some of the other people they would want to bring with them, some of whom have ties to the IRGC. We may not be able to let them in but not the athletes themselves,” he said. It comes after FIFA is struggling to flog tickets for an overpriced World Cup game.

“They can’t bring a bunch of IRGC terrorists into our country and pretend that they are journalists and athletic trainers,” the US official added. Trump was spotted nodding along to Rubio’s statement showing his agreement with the decision.

The move comes in the context of Washington’s designation of the IRGC as a “foreign terrorist organization,” with the travel restrictions stemming directly from that classification.

Trump also signalled that his administration would not target athletes amid ongoing geopolitical tensions, stating at the White House that the United States “would not want to affect the athletes”.

The World Cup is set to begin on June 11 and will be jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada. The US position follows remarks from Paolo Zampolli, a Trump envoy with no formal tournament role, who suggested—according to Reuters—that Italy could replace Iran in the competition.

Despite the speculation, there is currently no indication that Iran will be excluded or that it intends to withdraw, even though Italy failed to qualify. Trump’s close ties with Gianni Infantino have fuelled perceptions that he may seek to exert influence in pursuit of geopolitical advantage within World Cup discussions.

Infantino has dismissed doubts over participation, telling CNBC that Iran national football team will “for sure” compete in the tournament

Earlier, following the outbreak of conflict with Iran, Tehran reportedly requested that its three group-stage matches scheduled in the United States be moved to Mexico. FIFA rejected the proposal, leaving the original hosting arrangements unchanged.

Iran’s national soccer team is scheduled to compete against New Zealand and Belgium in Los Angeles, and Egypt in Seattle.