Donald Trump ally issues update on Iran playing at World Cup as major 'problem' revealed

US secretary of state Marco Rubio has issued the most concrete statement yet on Iran's participation at the 2026 World Cup.

Iran were drawn into Group G for the tournament, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, back in December.

Amir Ghalenoei's side are due to take on Belgium, Egypt and New Zealand in the opening phase of the World Cup.

Since the draw, in February, the US and Israel have launched a joint combat operation on Iran, with Iran launching retaliatory attacks on US and Israeli military bases in the western region of the Middle East.

Iran also closed the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping and trading passage by sea, which formed a key basis of ceasefire talks between the US, Iran and Israel.

The conflict has continued into late April, and US special envoy Paolo Zampolli told Financial Times earlier this week that he had made a direct suggestion to President Donald Trump to replace Iran with Italy at the World Cup.

Zampolli is a former modelling agent turned businessman who was named as special envoy for global partnerships at the beginning of the second Trump administration.

The Italian-American is not a member of the US House of Representatives and his Iran/Italy suggestion has received major backlash.

Still, Trump was asked for his thoughts on the issue during a media conference at the White House, a question which he passed on to Rubio to make an official comment.

Rubio stated that Iran's 'problem', in terms of World Cup participation, is not the players themselves but instead anyone potentially entering the United States who is connected to the Iranian military.

He then quashed speculation that there were any discussions over replacing Iran.

"There's nothing from the US that has told them they can't come," Rubio said.

"I mean, the problem with Iran would be not their athletes, but some of the people they would want to bring with them, some of them whom have ties to the IRGC [Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps]. We may not be able to let them in, but not the athletes themselves.

"I don't know where that's coming from, other than speculation that Iran may decide not to come and Italy would fill their spot."

What do FIFA's regulations say?

FIFA's regulations state that, in the event of a nation withdrawing from the World Cup, they would be replaced by an alternate, 'often the direct runner-up from the relevant qualifying play-off or highest-ranked non-qualified team from that confederation'.

United Arab Emirates, who lost to Iraq in the AFC confederational play-off, would fit the criteria for the second factor, while Bolivia, who lost to Iraq in the inter-confederational play-off, may fit the first criteria.

Former Manchester United reserve boss Rene Meulensteen, who is assistant manager of Iraq, told talkSPORT in February that there had been 'rumours' of a switch between Iran and Italy, though did not state where those rumours originated from.