FIFA president Gianni Infantino affirmed on Tuesday that Iran will participate in the upcoming World Cup and play their group stage matches in the United States as originally scheduled, despite ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
Speaking during halftime of Iran’s friendly match against Costa Rica in Turkey, Infantino expressed confidence in the Iranian team’s presence at the tournament. He described Iran as a “very strong team” and shared that he had personally met with the players and coaching staff, confirming that preparations were proceeding smoothly. His attendance at the match was not publicly announced beforehand.
Infantino emphasized that Iran’s fixtures would take place at the venues determined by the official draw. The World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, is set to begin on June 11. Iran’s first Group G match is scheduled against New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15, followed by games against Belgium in Los Angeles on June 21 and Egypt in Seattle on June 27.
Iran’s participation had been uncertain following the outbreak of war involving the US and Israel on February 28. Earlier this month, the Iranian Football Federation indicated it was negotiating with FIFA to relocate its World Cup matches from the United States to Mexico. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum also expressed readiness to host Iran’s group matches if necessary.
Initially, Infantino mentioned that former US President Donald Trump had assured Iran’s team would be welcomed at the tournament. However, Trump later contradicted this by advising that the Iranian team should avoid traveling to the event “for their own life and safety.” Iran responded firmly, stating that no one could exclude their national team from the World Cup.
On March 19, Infantino reiterated FIFA’s commitment to holding the World Cup as planned, with all qualified teams participating. Speaking from Zurich during an online FIFA Council meeting, he highlighted the organization’s goal to promote fair play and mutual respect among competing nations. While acknowledging FIFA’s inability to resolve geopolitical disputes, Infantino stressed the power of football and the World Cup to foster peace and build bridges, expressing sympathy for those affected by ongoing conflicts.
Recently, Iran played a friendly against Nigeria in Belek, Turkey. During the match, Iranian players wore black armbands and held school backpacks during the national anthem to honor victims of a February 28 airstrike on a primary school in Minab, Iran, which killed at least 170 people, including students and teachers. Preliminary US military investigations suggest the strike was caused by a targeting error involving a Tomahawk cruise missile.
