Iran Has to Come: FIFA President Confirms 2026 World Cup Participation Despite War
- Iran’s participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup has been confirmed despite ongoing geopolitical tensions and security concerns
- FIFA insists football must remain separate from politics as global attention turns to the US-hosted tournament
- Infantino met with the Iranian squad in Turkey and says players are eager to compete
Source: Getty Images
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has declared that Iran “has to go” to the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States. Infantino dismissed growing doubts over the country’s participation amid ongoing conflict with the US and Israel.
Speaking on 15 April 2026 at the CNBC Invest in America Forum in Washington, Infantino made it clear that Iran’s national team would take part in the tournament. The global showpiece event kicks off on 11 June 2026 across the United States, Canada and Mexico.
FIFA confirms Iran World Cup participation
Infantino addressed concerns that have arisen since the outbreak of war on 28 February 2026. Some have raised concerns about safety, logistics and political tensions surrounding Iran’s presence in the US.
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According to CNN, Infantino said:
“The Iranian team is coming for sure, yes. We hope that by then, of course, the situation will be a peaceful situation. That would definitely help. But Iran has to come.”
He stressed that qualification should be the deciding factor.
“They represent their people. They have qualified. The players want to play.”
Ironically, Iran was among the first teams to qualify for the expanded 2026 tournament, which features 48 teams.
Infantino also revealed that he visited the Iranian squad at their training camp in Antalya, Turkey, two weeks ago. He said he came away impressed.
“I went to see them. They are actually quite a good team as well. And they really want to play and they should play.”
Source: Getty Images
Security concerns about the World Cup
The conflict between Iran, the United States and Israel triggered doubts over whether the team would travel. Conflicting messages also emerged from political figures from both the US and Iran.
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In March 2026, US President Donald Trump publicly questioned Iran’s participation, citing safety concerns.
Trump posted on Truth Social in March that while the Iranian team would be “welcome,” he believed it was not appropriate “for their own life and safety.”
Around the same time, Iran’s sports leadership expressed reservations about competing under the current conditions.
The Iranian football federation also requested that FIFA move the team’s matches to Mexico. The request was not granted
Despite these issues, FIFA has maintained that sporting events should remain inclusive and separate from politics.
“Sports should be outside of politics. We don’t live on the moon, we live on planet Earth. But if there is nobody else that believes in building bridges and keeping them together, then we are doing that job.”
Iran is scheduled to play three group-stage matches in the United States: against New Zealand in Los Angeles on 15 June, against Belgium in Los Angeles on 21 June, and against Egypt in Seattle on 26 June.
If Iran progresses and qualifies from the first group stage, they are likely to continue playing in US venues.
World Cup hotels report low booking numbers
Briefly News also reported that hotel room bookings across World Cup host cities remain much lower than anticipated.
Industry and tourism experts have linked the low uptake in hotel room bookings to the policies of US President Donald Trump and his administration regarding international tourists.
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Proofreading by Kelly Lippke, copy editor at Briefly.co.za.
Source: Briefly News
