The Japanese soccer legend says his opinions led to the American company canceling its pre-FIFA World Cup advertising campaign.
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Published March 15, 2026
Former Japanese national soccer player Keisuke Honda says he has lost an advertising contract in the United States after expressing support for the Iranian national team’s participation in the upcoming FIFA World Cup.
Honda did not name its sponsors, but said on Saturday that an advertisement from a U.S.-based company was “on hold” after it posted on X asking for Iran to compete in a race co-sponsored by the U.S., Mexico and Canada.
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“I know it’s a very sensitive issue, but I personally want Iran to participate in the World Cup,” the 39-year-old tweeted on Thursday, a day after Iran’s sports minister said the country could not participate in the World Cup after the United States and Israel launched a war against Iran that killed its supreme leader.
Honda, who scored 38 international goals for Japan from 2008 to 2018, posted a follow-up tweet suggesting that the ad, which was expected to be finalized by the World Cup, had been shelved because of an earlier post.
“Apparently this comment caused a US company to cancel an ad it was finalizing to coincide with the World Cup,” he wrote.
“I don’t want to be associated with a company that ignores the essence of things and makes decisions based on rotten thinking.”
Iran’s place in the 48-team tournament was in jeopardy because of the U.S. and Israeli attacks that began on February 28, after which Tehran responded with waves of missiles and drones aimed at Israel, several military bases in the Middle East where U.S. forces operate, and infrastructure in the region.
The 23rd FIFA World Cup will be held in three host countries from June 11 to July 19, with all of Iran’s group matches scheduled for venues on the West Coast of the United States.
The former Samurai Blue represented his country at the 2010, 2014 and 2018 World Cups and is among the top 10 most capped players and top five scorers for the Asian giants.
Honda was named the best player for helping Japan win the title at the 2011 Asian Cup. After representing 11 clubs on five continents, the attacking midfielder retired in 2024 and turned to coaching.
The golden-haired player enjoys hero-like status in his home country and is one of Japan’s most recognized international footballers.
He expressed his opinion on Team Meri’s participation amid rising tensions between the host country, the United States, and Iran.
US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that it would not be appropriate for Iran to participate in the World Cup.
“While I welcome the Iranian national soccer team to the World Cup, I truly don’t think it is appropriate for them to participate in the World Cup given their own lives and safety,” Trump wrote in a social media post, without elaborating.
The Iranian national team’s Instagram account was quick to react to President Trump’s remarks, questioning whether the U.S. president should comment on the team’s participation.
“The World Cup is a historic and international event whose governing body is FIFA, not any particular country,” the newspaper wrote.
The account also criticized President Trump for failing to provide adequate security for Iranian national soccer players.
“Indeed, no one can exclude the Iranian national team from the World Cup,” the message continued. “The only countries that may be excluded are those that simply hold the title of ‘host country’ but lack the ability to provide security for teams participating in this global event.”
President Trump later posted another message on his social media platforms, stressing that the tournament will be safe for athletes and spectators around the world.
