Pakistan, April 25 -- 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 Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

"Nothing from the US has told them they can't come," Rubio told reporters. 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 tournam...