Iran ‘shall be taking part’ at World Cup, together with video games in U.S., FIFA chief says

More than a month after Iran raised the potential of withdrawing from the World Cup over issues concerning the crew’s safety, the president of soccer’s international governing physique stated Thursday that it’s going to take part as scheduled.

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“Let me start at the outset confirming straightaway for those who maybe want to say something else or want to write something else that of course Iran will be participating at the FIFA World Cup 2026,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino stated Thursday on the FIFA World Congress in Vancouver, British Columbia. “And of course Iran will play in the United States of America.”

The World Cup, which runs June 11 by way of July 19, shall be hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Iran is scheduled to play New Zealand in Inglewood, California, on June 15 and Belgium on June 21 earlier than it travels to Seattle for a June 26 matchup towards Egypt.

The U.S. and Israel launched strikes on Iran on Feb. 28 that killed the Iran’s supreme chief, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Only two days later, the president of Iran’s soccer federation advised The Associated Press that following the assault, “we cannot be expected to look forward to the World Cup with hope.” Then, on March 11, Iran’s sports activities minister solid extra doubt on the nation’s participation.

“Given that this government has assassinated our leader, we cannot participate in the World Cup. Our players do not have security,” Sports Minister Ahmad Donyamali stated in March, in accordance with the semiofficial Mehr information company. “Certainly, we do not have the possibility of such participation.”

Infantino has stated on social media that he has lobbied President Donald Trump about guaranteeing Iran can participate. In March, Infantino posted on Instagram that “we all need an event like the FIFA World Cup to bring people together now more than ever.” Yet an envoy to the Trump administration has acknowledged that he raised the potential of replacing Iran with Italy, which didn’t qualify for the World Cup. An Italian official later told Sky News that the thought was “not possible and secondly, not appropriate.”

Trump — whom Infantino awarded the “FIFA Peace Prize” in December — has regularly modified his tone on whether or not he desires Iran to play as scheduled. “I really don’t care” if Iran performs, he told Politico in early March. Later that month he posted on Truth Social that “The Iran National Soccer Team is welcome to The World Cup, however I really don’t believe it is appropriate that they be there, for their very own life and security.”

Last week, Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the Iranian crew could be welcome to play within the U.S. however that the U.S. would deny entry to anybody with ties to Iran’s army.

“Nothing from the U.S. has told [players] they can’t come,” Rubio advised reporters. “If they decide not to come on their own, it’s because they decided not to come.”