FIFA president says Iran will play World Cup games in US as planned
Iran will play their World Cup matches in the United States this summer, FIFA president Gianni Infantino has insisted.
Iran’s participation has been the subject of uncertainty since the US and Israel launched airstrikes on the Asian nation on February 28.
The country’s football association officials were the only one of FIFA’s 211 member nations absent from Thursday’s FIFA Congress in Vancouver.
However, Infantino opened his Congress address by insisting the Iranian team would participate at the finals in North America.
“Let me start at the outset by confirming straight away, for those who maybe want to say something else or write something else, that of course Iran will be participating at the FIFA World Cup 2026,” said Infantino
“And of course, Iran will play in the United States of America. The reason for that is simple, because we have to unite. We have to bring people together.”
Iran will kick off their campaign against New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15. If they and the US finish second in their respective groups, the sides will meet in the last 32.
US president Donald Trump has previously stated it would be "inappropriate" for Iran to compete “for their own life and safety".
Infantino added: "There are enough problems around the world. There are enough people who try to divide all over the world. If nobody tries to unite, what will happen to our world? We have to do it, and we have this opportunity.”
Infantino made no mention of the fact that the president of the Iranian Football Federation had been refused entry to Canada to attend the Congress because of his links to a banned terrorist organisation.
He also made no mention of the war in Iran, the widespread anti-regime protests in January, which were brutally suppressed, or the internet shutdown, which has cut the Iranian people off from the rest of the world.
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