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By ALEX RASKIN, US SPORTS NEWS EDITOR Published: 09: 51 AEDT, 4 March 2026 | Updated: 11: 02 AEDT, 4 March 2026 34 View comments Soccer fans are blasting FIFA's latest effort to promote the upcoming North American World Cup amid the ongoing war in the Middle East and Mexico's own armed conflicts with local drug cartels. 'Kicking off the @FIFAWorld Cup 100 days from now…' read a post from the international soccer organization alongside a graphic for the Mexico-South Africa game scheduled for June 15 in Mexico City. Nervous fans were not interested in seeing any such promotion. 'Read the room, ' fashion designer and soccer fan Tomi Rikhotso wrote on X. Another agreed, writing: 'I believe this World Cup would be chaotic and overshadowed by geopolitics. ' Many others were still upset with FIFA for giving President Donald Trump a peace prize only for the United States to bomb Iran. Soccer fans are blasting FIFA's latest effort to promote the upcoming North American World Cup amid the ongoing war in the Middle East and Mexico's own battle with cartels FIFA has faced criticism for giving Donald Trump a peace prize, only for him to bomb Iran Smoke billows following a US-Israeli air strike near the Azadi(freedom) tower in Tehran 'What's even worse is they know and don't care, ' one critic added. 'Didn't they give Trump a symbolic peace prize and were impatient to get their hands on patches of land on the Gaza strip to build stadiums? ' That last point refers to FIFA's joint effort with Trump's controversial Board of Peace to build a 25, 000-seat national soccer stadium in war-ravaged Gaza. Meanwhile, 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 Out Kick 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. Smoke rises from central Tehran following reported US and Israeli strikes on Wednesday 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. 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. Donald Trump has been urged to offer an 'olive branch' to the Iranian national soccer team Out Kick's Clay Travis argued Trump should personally guarantee the safety of team Iran 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 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. Andrew Giuliani (center), the son of former New York Mayor Rudy (left), is now part of a task force on Iran and says the World Cup offers an 'opportunity for freedom' for Iranian fans 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. Meanwhile, Mexico continue to see violent clashes with drug cartels in the state of Jalisco. That state’s capital, Guadalajara, is scheduled to host four group-stage matches. President Claudia Sheinbaum has insisted there is no risk for fans attending the tournament games in her country.
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