FIFA president Gianni Infantino has confirmed that Iran will participate in the 2026 FIFA World Cup despite ongoing tensions in the Middle East.
Speaking on Wednesday at an economic conference organised by CNBC, Infantino said Iran’s qualification guarantees its place at the tournament.
“Iran is coming for sure. We hope that by then the situation will be a peaceful situation, which would definitely help,” he said.
He stressed that the team deserves to compete, noting that it represents its people and that the players are eager to take part in the global showpiece.
Infantino had earlier expressed similar views in March while attending a friendly match between Iran and Costa Rica in Antalya, Turkey, even as concerns were raised by US President Donald Trump about the safety of Iranian players in the United States.
Iran is scheduled to play its Group G matches in the US, with two games set for Los Angeles and one in Seattle. The team will be based in Tucson during the tournament.
Participation had come under scrutiny following the escalation of conflict involving the United States and Israel, which began on February 28. Iran had initially threatened a boycott and requested that its matches be moved to Mexico, but FIFA declined the request.
After weeks of hostilities, a fragile truce took effect on April 8, although tensions remain high, with Tehran closing the Strait of Hormuz and Washington imposing restrictions on ships linked to Iranian ports.
Infantino, however, maintained that football should remain separate from political disputes.
“Sports should be outside of politics,” he said. “If there’s nobody else that believes in building bridges and keeping them intact and together, we are doing the job.”
The 2026 FIFA World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, will be the first to feature 48 teams and is scheduled to kick off on June 11.
