March 11 – FIFA President Gianni Infantino has said that US President Donald Trump had offered reassurances over Iran’s participation in the 2026 World Cup, saying the team are “welcome”.
Infantino said he met with Trump in Washington to discuss preparations for the competition and that the pair “also spoke about the current situation in Iran”.
On Instagram, Infantino wrote: “During the discussions, President Trump reiterated that the Iranian team is, of course, welcome to compete in the tournament in the United States.”
Following the United States’ and Israel’s war on Iran, officials in the Persian country have cast doubt over Team Melli’s participation in the 2026 World Cup. At the same time, Trump said that he didn’t care if they participated.
At the World Cup, Iran have been drawn with Belgium, Egypt and New Zealand. The Iranians are scheduled to play their matches on the West coast with two of them at the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, and one a Lumen Field in Seattle.
The FIFA president has built close ties to Trump. Last year, he attended Trump’s inauguration in Washington DC and since then he has cemented and accelerated their association, with frequent meetings. The relationship recently culminated in December, when Infantino handed Trump the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize. Last month FIFA signed a deal with Trump’s Board of Peace to support the reconstruction of Gaza with $75 million for football-related projects, though it is unclear where the finance for that commitment will come from.
But with the US-Israeli war on Iran having since begun, that project seems distant.
“We all need an event like the FIFA World Cup to bring people together now more than ever, and I sincerely thank the President of the United States for his support, as it shows once again that Football Unites the World,” said Infantino.
Hoiwever, his publicly rose-tinted view of the world is not shared by his member federations as the deteriorating global security situation has raised serious questions within the Iranian football federation about whether the national team should even travel to the tournament.
Mehdi Taj, president of the Iran Football Federation, said the conflict has fundamentally altered the mood around the World Cup.
“What is certain is that after these attacks, it’s hard to look at the World Cup with hope,” Taj said.
He went further when discussing the prospect of the team travelling to the United States, saying: “How can one be optimistic about the World Cup in the United States under these conditions?
“If the World Cup takes place under these conditions, what sane person would send their national team to such a place?”
The issue of Iran national teams playing in overseas tournaments has also spilled into the women’s game. During the ongoing AFC Women’s Asian Cup in Australia, several members of the Iranian women’s squad sought protection over concerns about returning home.
Australia’s Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke confirmed that humanitarian visas were granted to seven individuals connected to the team, although one later chose to withdraw the request and return to Iran. The remainder of the squad departed Australia after their elimination from the tournament.
Contact the writers of this story at samindra.kunti@ insideworldfootball.com or moc.l1773237757labto1773237757ofdlr1773237757owedi1773237757sni@g1773237757niwe.1773237757yrrah1773237757
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