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US Says Does Not Object to Iran Playing in World Cup but People with IRGC Ties Won't be Allowed

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio listens as US President Donald Trump speaks to the media in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, DC, USA, 23 April 2026. EPA/WILL OLIVER / POOL
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio listens as US President Donald Trump speaks to the media in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, DC, USA, 23 April 2026. EPA/WILL OLIVER / POOL
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US Says Does Not Object to Iran Playing in World Cup but People with IRGC Ties Won't be Allowed

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio listens as US President Donald Trump speaks to the media in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, DC, USA, 23 April 2026. EPA/WILL OLIVER / POOL
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio listens as US President Donald Trump speaks to the media in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, DC, USA, 23 April 2026. EPA/WILL OLIVER / POOL

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Thursday 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 Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

"Nothing from the US has told them they can't come," Rubio told reporters, according to Reuters. 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 US to Mexico, which was rejected.

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Soufiane Rahimi and Gessime Yassine Help Morocco Rally to Beat Haiti 4-2 at World Cup

Players of Morocco celebrate after scoring the 4-2 goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 group stage match Morocco against Haiti, in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, 24 June 2026. EPA/RONALD WITTEK
Players of Morocco celebrate after scoring the 4-2 goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 group stage match Morocco against Haiti, in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, 24 June 2026. EPA/RONALD WITTEK
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Soufiane Rahimi and Gessime Yassine Help Morocco Rally to Beat Haiti 4-2 at World Cup

Players of Morocco celebrate after scoring the 4-2 goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 group stage match Morocco against Haiti, in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, 24 June 2026. EPA/RONALD WITTEK
Players of Morocco celebrate after scoring the 4-2 goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 group stage match Morocco against Haiti, in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, 24 June 2026. EPA/RONALD WITTEK

Soufiane Rahimi and Gessime Yassine came off the bench to help Morocco rally for a 4-2 victory over Haiti on Wednesday and erase the Caribbean nation's hopes of a first ever point at the World Cup.

Morocco, which became the first African team to reach the World Cup semifinals four years ago in Qatar, twice came from behind against a team playing on soccer's biggest stage for the first time in 52 years, The Associated Press reported.

Rahimi’s deflected shot in the 78th minute put Morocco ahead 3-2 and Yassine killed off any chance of an upset with a goal in the 89th.

Morocco advanced to the round of 32 in second place behind Brazil in Group C and will next play the runner up in Group F — Netherlands, Japan or Sweden — in Monterrey. The five-time champion Brazilians beat Scotland 3-0 in the other group match.

“At times we lacked humility and paid the price for it," Morocco midfielder Bilal El Khannouss said. "We weren’t fully committed in the duels, we gave them confidence and allowed them to grow into the game and score twice. At halftime, the coach told us we needed to be more aggressive, win the second balls and bring greater intensity to our attacking play.”

Morocco, which won the most recent Africa Cup of Nations, has ambitions to go deep again after making history at the last World Cup. But the team was given a scare by Haiti, which took a surprise lead in the 10th minute with a goal that was more than five decades in the making.

Lenny Jospeh’s back-heeled flick at the near post went in off the back of Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou for the country's first World Cup goal since Emmanuel Sanon in 1974, Haiti's only other appearance at the tournament. Bounou was officially credited with an own-goal on the play.

Morocco pushed for an equalizer and Achraf Hakimi finally got it in the 39th minute. Haiti keeper Johny Placide managed to get a hand to El Khannouss’ deflected cross, but couldn't prevent Hakimi from bundling the ball over the line.

Although Morocco looked to be ready to explode for more goals, it was Haiti that again took the lead four minutes later when Wilson Isidor scored from outside the box with a shot that flew into the top corner.

There was still time for another goal at the end of a thrilling half with Ismael Saibari sweeping Hakimi’s cross past Placide in stoppage time to make it 2-2 at the break.

It was Saibari's third goal of the tournament.

“I am disappointed for the Haitian fans," Haiti coach Sébastien Migné said. "Disappointed, but also, I want to say we managed to show that we were worthy of this qualification. We were in the right place. Now we need to make some improvements and not wait for another 52 years.”

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Saudi Team Holds Final Training Session in Austin Before Cape Verde Match

The players trained at Q2 Stadium in Austin. SPA
The players trained at Q2 Stadium in Austin. SPA
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Saudi Team Holds Final Training Session in Austin Before Cape Verde Match

The players trained at Q2 Stadium in Austin. SPA
The players trained at Q2 Stadium in Austin. SPA

The Saudi national team continued its preparations in Austin, Texas, ahead of its match against Cape Verde on Saturday in the third round of Group H of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The players trained at Q2 Stadium in Austin in their final session before traveling to Houston, which will host Saudi Arabia's final group-stage match.

The team will complete its preparations with a training session at Houston Dynamo training facility.

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South Africa Stun South Korea to Make World Cup History

South Africa forward Thapelo Maseko celebrates scoring against South Korea in their World Cup Group A match. Yuri CORTEZ / AFP
South Africa forward Thapelo Maseko celebrates scoring against South Korea in their World Cup Group A match. Yuri CORTEZ / AFP
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South Africa Stun South Korea to Make World Cup History

South Africa forward Thapelo Maseko celebrates scoring against South Korea in their World Cup Group A match. Yuri CORTEZ / AFP
South Africa forward Thapelo Maseko celebrates scoring against South Korea in their World Cup Group A match. Yuri CORTEZ / AFP

South Africa beat South Korea 1-0 on Wednesday to reach the World Cup knockout rounds for the first time in their history -- an astonishing turnaround after a dismal opening defeat.

The Bafana Bafana, playing in a World Cup for the first time since they hosted it in 2010, were widely written off after their 2-0 loss to Group A winners Mexico in the tournament's curtainraiser, said AFP.

But they battled to a draw against the Czech Republic and came out on top of what was effectively a shootout with South Korea for second place in Monterrey, thanks to Thapelo Maseko's second-half strike.

South Africa coach Hugo Broos said it was difficult to put his side's achievement into words.

"We scored that goal, and it was 20 minutes of heartbeating and hoping that the game should be finished as soon as possible," said the Belgian.

"So yes, we are in the second round. It's historic. But I'm very happy for the guys. I've worked with them for five years. And what we did in those five years is amazing."

South Korea coach Hong Myung-bo made a shock call by leaving captain Son Heung-min -- considered by many to be Asia's greatest-ever player -- out of the starting line-up.

The Asian team started strongly, with stand-in captain Kim Min-jae's powerful header blocked on the goalline by Aubrey Modiba before Lee Kang-in flashed wide.

South Africa quickly settled, playing with hunger and adventure, but their finishing was wasteful.

They seemed certain to take the lead in the 30th minute when the ball fell to Evidence Makgopa after South Korean goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu parried Thalente Mbatha's shot.

But Makgopa could only tamely poke the ball straight at the goalkeeper from close range.

Son came on at the start of the second half, one of three changes made by coach Hong as he sought to change the script.

Early in the second period Maseko squandered another good position while South Korea forward Oh Hyeon-gyu tested goalkeeper Ronwen Williams at the other end.

As news filtered through from Mexico City that the host nation were leading against the Czech Republic, there was an added sense of urgency.

South Africa seized their moment with Tshepang Moremi crossing to Maseko, who this time kept his cool, firing home inside the near post in the 63rd minute.

South Korea pushed hard in the closing stages but ran out of time, meaning South Africa will face co-hosts Canada in Los Angeles on June 28.

Co-hosts Mexico topped the group with nine points after winning all three of their matches.