STORY: U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Thursday (April 23) Washington had no objections to Iranian players participating in the 2026 FIFA World Cup but he added the players will not be allowed to bring with them people with ties to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

"Nothing from the U.S. has told them they can't come," Rubio told reporters.

President Donald Trump also said his administration "would not want to affect the athletes" in comments he made at the White House.

The 2026 soccer World Cup is set to begin on June 11 across the United States, Mexico and Canada.

Paolo Zampolli, a Trump envoy who has no official connection with the World Cup, had earlier suggested that Italy should replace Iran at the tournament.

"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," Rubio said.

"They can't bring a bunch of IRGC terrorists into our country and pretend that they are journalists and athletic trainers," Rubio added. Washington has designated the IRGC as a "foreign terrorist organization."

Currently there is no suggestion Iran will withdraw or be banned from the tournament that Italy missed out on.

After the start of the Iran war, Iran requested that FIFA move the team's three group matches from ⁠the U.S. to Mexico, which was rejected.

The U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on February 28. Iran responded with its own strikes on Israel and Gulf states with U.S. bases. U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran and Israeli attacks in Lebanon have killed thousands and displaced millions. A fragile ceasefire in the Iran ‌war ⁠began over two weeks ago.

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US says it does not object to Iran playing in World Cup but people with IRGC ties won't be allowed

VIDEO SHOWS: TRUMP AND OFFICIALS DURING MEETING WITH LEBANESE AND ISRAELI ENVOYS IN OVAL OFFICE AT THE WHITE HOUSE, SOUNDBITES FROM U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE MARCO RUBIO AND U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP

SHOWS: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES (APRIL 23, 2026) (UNRESTRICTED POOL - Access all)

1. U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP SEATED BEHIND DESK AT OVAL OFFICE FLANKED BY VICE PRES. JD VANCE, SECRETARY OF STATE MARCO RUBIO, LEBANESE AMBASSADOR IN THE U.S. NADA HAMADEH, U.S. AMBASSADOR TO LEBANON MICHEL ISSA

2. (SOUNDBITE) (English) JOURNALIST IN OVAL OFFICE, ASKING QUESTION:

"What do you think of this idea of replacing Iran with Italy in the World Cup?

3. (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. PRESIDENT, DONALD TRUMP, SAYING:

"I don't think about it too much. That's an interesting question. Let me give, you know what, let me give that a little thought. Is that what they're doing? They're thinking about replacing them?"

JOURNALIST OFF-CAMERA: "Apparently it's the proposal."

JD VANCE OFF-CAMERA: "What Marco (Rubio) makes..?"

TRUMP: "Marco, do you make a statement of that. Please. What do you think of...?"

4. (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE, MARCO RUBIO, SAYING:

"There's nothing from the U.S. has told them they can't come. I mean the problem with Iran, it would be not their athletes, it would be some of the other people that 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. But no one, I don't know where that's coming from other than speculation that Iran may decide not to come, Italy would fill their spot, but that's, if they decide not to come on their own it's because they decided not to come. What they can't bring is a bunch of IRGC terrorists into our country and pretend that they're, you know, journalists and athletic trainers."

TRUMP: "We would not want to affect the athletes."

5. MEDIA IN OVAL OFFICE