Donald Trump has been urged to offer an ‘olive branch’ to the Iranian national soccer team to ensure they compete in the World Cup despite the ongoing military conflict.
The suggestion comes from author and OutKick founder Clay Travis, who argued that the President should personally guarantee the safety of the Iranian players to send a powerful message to the country’s citizens.
The proposal follows an admission from the Football Federation of Iran that it ‘does not know’ if the team can travel to the US following recent American and Israeli bombardments.
‘I actually think it would be very impactful if President Trump comes out and says: ‘We want Iran to represent the good people of Iran in the World Cup,” Travis said.
He argued that qualifying for the tournament is an ‘incredible accomplishment of great national pride’ for any country and that the players deserve the chance to compete on the world stage.
‘It’s an opportunity to send a message to the people of Iran that you are on their side,’ Travis continued as he outlined his plan for a presidential intervention.
Donald Trump has been urged to offer an ‘olive branch’ to the Iranian national soccer team
The proposal follows an admission from the Football Federation of Iran that it ‘does not know’ if the team can travel to the US
OutKick founder Clay Travis argued that the president should personally guarantee the safety of the Iranian players
Travis insisted that the United States should allow Iranian players to ‘stand up and represent the good people’ in games scheduled to take place across American cities this summer.
‘President Trump should come out and say: ‘I will get these players from Iran. I will get them to the US. And we will keep them safe,” Travis added.
The 2026 World Cup is set to kick off on June 11, with Iran currently drawn in Group G alongside New Zealand, Belgium and Egypt for matches in Los Angeles and Seattle.
Iran’s soccer federation president, Mehdi Taj, cast serious doubt on their participation this week, stating it is ‘far from expectations’ that they can look at the tournament with hope.
The country is currently entering a mandatory 40-day mourning period following the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in the weekend’s joint strikes.
All domestic sports and friendly matches in Iran have been suspended during this time, severely hindering the team’s ability to prepare for the global showpiece.
While Trump recently told the Daily Mail he estimated the military campaign would last ‘four weeks or less,’ the window for the Iranian team to organize travel is rapidly closing.
Under current Trump administration rules, Iranian fans are largely banned from entering the US, though players and coaching staff were previously promised special visa exemptions.
Mehdi Taj (left) has said Iran may not compete in this summer’s ‘inappropriate’ World Cup
Iran leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in an attack on his Tehran compound
FIFA has confirmed it is ‘monitoring’ the situation, but the governing body has yet to announce a contingency plan should Iran officially withdraw from the 48-team field.
If Iran pulls out, potential replacements could include Iraq or the United Arab Emirates, depending on the results of the final inter-continental play-offs later this month.
Andrew Giuliani, director of the White House World Cup task force, previously stated that while soccer is important, the ‘opportunity for freedom’ in Iran remains the priority.
With just 101 days until the opening ceremony, the pressure is mounting on the White House to clarify its stance on the matter.