Infantino expressed confidence Iran will participate in the summer tournament hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico, despite political tensions and security concerns.
8:48 AM
FIFA President Gianni Infantino said Wednesday that Iran will participate in the 2026 World Cup, which will be hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
"Iran will be at the World Cup for sure," Infantino said, according to the Associated Press. He added that he hoped the situation between Iran and the United States would be "peaceful" by the time of the tournament, which would "certainly help."
Iran qualified for the tournament, and the team is scheduled to play matches in U.S. cities including Inglewood, California and Seattle. Infantino recently met with Iran's national team in Turkey and praised the players, saying they are eager to compete.
The statement comes amid ongoing political tensions between Iran and the United States. In late February, the U.S. launched an attack against Iran. A ceasefire brokered by Pakistan between the U.S., Israel and Iran is currently in effect for two weeks.
In March, Ahmad Donyamali, Iran's sports minister, stated that the country could not participate in the World Cup under the current circumstances. He described the United States as a "corrupt regime" and accused it of killing Iran's leader, Ali Khamenei.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Iran's national team would be "welcome" at the tournament but expressed concerns about the players' "life and safety," saying he did not view participation as "appropriate" for those reasons.
Iranian officials have repeatedly requested that FIFA relocate their team's matches from the United States to Mexico, one of the three co-host nations. Infantino offered to "build bridges" to help resolve the situation and ensure the tournament proceeds smoothly.
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