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Trump Says Iran ‘Welcome’ at World Cup Despite Ongoing Conflict

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Trump Says Iran ‘Welcome’ at World Cup Despite Ongoing Conflict

United States President Donald Trump has said Iran would still be welcome to participate in this summer’s FIFA World Cup despite escalating hostilities involving the country, according to FIFA president Gianni Infantino.

Infantino revealed the comments in a post on Instagram after meeting Trump on Tuesday to discuss preparations for the tournament, which will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. The competition is scheduled to begin on 11 June.

The FIFA president said the pair discussed the ongoing situation in Iran during their meeting.

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“During the discussions, President Trump reiterated that the Iranian team is, of course, welcome to compete in the tournament in the United States,” Infantino wrote.

“We all need an event like the FIFA World Cup to bring people together now more than ever, and I sincerely thank the president of the United States for his support, as it shows once again that football unites the world.”

Iran’s participation in the tournament had been uncertain following recent military escalation involving the United States and Israel. Strikes carried out earlier this month reportedly killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

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Iran later responded by launching missiles and drones toward Israel and several Gulf Arab countries that host US military bases, including Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

Despite the tensions, Iran’s national team is currently scheduled to play three group-stage matches in the United States. They are set to face New Zealand and Belgium in Los Angeles on 15 and 21 June respectively, before meeting Egypt in Seattle on 26 June.

Last week, Trump told Politico that he did not consider Iran’s participation a major issue, saying: “I really don’t care” if the team takes part.

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However, concerns remain within Iran’s football community. Mehdi Taj, president of the Iran Football Federation, was quoted as saying that the recent attacks have made it difficult to approach the World Cup with optimism.

Meanwhile, Australia has granted humanitarian visas to several members of Iran’s women’s national football team due to concerns about their safety.

Australia’s Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said seven people were initially granted asylum, although one later chose to return home.

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The rest of the Iranian players departed Australia on Tuesday after the team was eliminated from the AFC Asian Cup.

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Cyclist killed at Worlds not found for 82 minutes

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Cyclist killed at Worlds not found for 82 minutes

An investigation into the death of Swiss cyclist Muriel Furrer has found she was not discovered for 82 minutes after crashing during the 2024 UCI Road World Championships in Zurich.

The 18-year-old died after leaving the road in wet conditions during the junior road race and crashing into a wooded area near her hometown. According to the Zurich Public Prosecutors’ Office, the accident occurred out of sight of race officials, spectators, and support vehicles.

Investigators said Furrer lay hidden in undergrowth and was not visible from the road, which contributed to the delay in locating her. Her disappearance was not immediately reported, and she was only found more than an hour later before being airlifted to hospital, where she died from a head injury.

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Despite the circumstances, prosecutors concluded there was “no evidence of criminal conduct or negligence” by organisers. The race had been overseen by a local committee alongside the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI).

At the time of the incident, neither GPS tracking nor race radios were permitted in the World Championships—unlike in events such as the Tour de France—a factor that may have delayed the response. Following the tragedy, the UCI introduced GPS tracking for the 2025 championships in Rwanda to monitor riders’ locations in real time.

Cyclists’ union representatives have argued that such safety measures should have been implemented earlier to prevent similar incidents.

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The findings come shortly after another serious crash involving British rider Tom Pidcock at the Volta a Catalunya, where he fell into a ravine unnoticed by organisers but was able to communicate with his team via radio.

In tribute, the UCI retired Furrer’s race number—84—from women’s junior road races, honouring her memory as calls continue for improved safety protocols in the sport.

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Ghana sack manager Addo Just 72 days before World Cup

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Ghana sack manager Addo Just 72 days before World Cup

Ghana Football Association has dismissed head coach Otto Addo with just 72 days remaining before the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Addo’s departure follows a poor run of results, including a 2-1 defeat to Germany in Stuttgart and a heavy 5-1 loss against Austria in Vienna. The Ghana national football team have now lost their last four matches.

Despite boasting attacking talent such as Antoine Semenyo and Mohammed Kudus, Ghana also failed to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations under Addo’s leadership.

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In a statement, the Ghana Football Association confirmed it had “parted ways” with Addo with immediate effect, adding that a new technical direction for the team would be announced soon.

Addo, 50, was born in Germany and spent his entire playing career there, earning 15 caps for Ghana. He had been in his second spell as head coach since March 2024.

The upcoming World Cup—set to be hosted across United States, Canada, and Mexico—will run from 11 June to 19 July.

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Ghana’s campaign is scheduled to begin against Panama on 18 June, followed by group matches against England and Croatia.

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Scott Brown Leaves Ayr United Role by Mutual Consent

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Scott Brown Leaves Ayr United Role by Mutual Consent

Scott Brown has stepped down as manager of Ayr United by mutual consent, the Scottish Championship side has confirmed.

The 40-year-old departs Somerset Park alongside assistant Steven Whittaker following a difficult run of nine matches without a win.

Ayr’s form has seen them drop to sixth place in the Scottish Championship after a 3-0 defeat to Raith Rovers, a result that allowed their opponents to overtake them in the standings. The team now sits outside the promotion play-off positions, trailing Dunfermline Athletic by five points, with their rivals also holding a game in hand.

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Brown, a former Celtic and Scotland national team midfielder, took charge of Ayr in January 2024. He initially guided the club away from relegation danger before achieving a third-place finish in his first full season. However, recent results have reversed that progress.

Before joining Ayr, Brown began his coaching career at Aberdeen as a player-coach and later managed Fleetwood Town. He was dismissed from Fleetwood in September 2023 after a poor run of results in his second season.

In the interim, training duties at Ayr United have been overseen by veteran winger Jamie Murphy, along with first-team coach Tommy Tait and goalkeeping coach Dave Timmins, as the club prepares to announce a temporary managerial arrangement.

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