The leader of a nation set to compete at the 2026 FIFA World Cup has issued a stark warning to Donald Trump.
In recent weeks, US President Trump has caused controversy with his government’s foreign policy as the US has taken military action in both Venezuela and Nigeria, while also threatening action in Iran, Greenland, Mexico, and Colombia.
Trump is particularly interested in taking over Greenland – an autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark - for what he believes are strategic reasons related to the security of the US.
Citizens of the island have since protested against Trump’s stance, while a number of European allies have pushed back against the 79-year-old’s threats to take over the island.
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Trump also threatened the allies with increased tariffs in a move British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer branded as “completely wrong”.
Meanwhile, Trump also warned Iran of “very strong action” from the US if the nation executes protesters after widespread protests have broken out across the Asian country over the past month.
Since the protests started in late December, thousands have been killed and arrested.
According to US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), as of Monday (January 19), 3,919 people had been killed, while a further 8,949 deaths remained under investigation.
Almost 25,000 arrests had also been confirmed.
Iran’s president, Masoud Pezeshkian, has blamed the US for the protests, while Trump said Iran would be “wiped off the face of the Earth” if he were to be assassinated.
Pezeshkian also took to X and threatened “full-scale war” after rumours circulated that the US was planning to assassinate Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
“If the people of Iran face hardship and difficulties in their lives, one of the main reasons for it is the longstanding enmity and inhumane sanctions imposed by the United States government and its allies,” Pezeshkian wrote.
“Any aggression against the Supreme Leader of our country is tantamount to all-out war against the Iranian nation.”
Trump has also encouraged a new leadership regime in Iran while also telling protestors to carry on protesting, saying, “help is on its way”.
The nation was named as one of the countries on Trump’s original travel ban list back in June of 2025.
Alongside Iran, Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen were named on the original 12-nation list of countries under full travel restrictions.
Since then, Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan, and Syria have also been placed under full restrictions, while partial restrictions have been placed on travel from Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
75 nations will also be impacted by the Trump administration's indefinite visa freeze, including Brazil, Haiti, Colombia, and Iran, who will all compete at the 2026 World Cup, which will take place across the US, Mexico, and Canada.
Topics: Donald Trump, FIFA World Cup
Luke Davies