FIFA President Gianni Infantino has declared that Iran will participate in the 2026 World Cup “for sure,” despite the ongoing war between the United States and Iran that has cast doubt on the team’s ability to compete. Speaking at CNBC’s Invest in America Forum, Infantino emphasized that the Iranian squad, scheduled to play two group matches in Inglewood, California, and one in Seattle, represents their people, has earned their qualification, and deserves to compete.
The assurance comes after weeks of mixed signals from both Washington and Tehran. President Donald Trump initially discouraged Iran from attending, addressing safety concerns and stating it would not be “appropriate” for the team to be in the US “for their own life and safety”.
Iranian officials responded by declaring participation impossible, with Sports Minister Ahmad Donyamali stating that “under no circumstances can we participate in the World Cup” following US and Israeli strikes that killed Iran’s supreme leader.
Iran’s football federation formally requested that their matches be moved to Mexico, but FIFA rejected that proposal last week.
Infantino revealed he personally visited the Iranian team during a training camp in Antalya, Turkey, two weeks ago and came away impressed. “They are actually quite a good team as well, and they really want to play, and they should play, sports should be outside of politics,” he said, while acknowledging the difficulty of separating the two.
The FIFA chief has engaged in shuttle diplomacy as a mediator between Washington and Tehran, meeting with Trump to urge that the Iranian team be allowed to compete.
With the tournament set to kick off June 11, the situation remains fluid. Iran is drawn in Group G alongside Belgium, Egypt, and New Zealand, with their opening match against New Zealand scheduled for June 15 at SoFi Stadium.
Infantino’s declaration provides the clearest confirmation yet that FIFA intends to proceed with Iran’s participation, framing the World Cup as a bridge building exercise even as the two nations remain technically at war. Whether that diplomatic gamble pays off, or whether security concerns become reality, will become clear when the world’s most watched tournament begins in less than two months.
