Infantino Confirms Iran's Participation in 2026 World Cup

Gianni Infantino, the FIFA President, announced that Iran is welcome to participate in the 2026 World Cup following discussions with former U.S. President Donald Trump.

The talks took place on a Wednesday, with Infantino revealing that he had spoken to Trump about Iran's involvement in the tournament, which is set to begin in June 2026 across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Despite heightened tensions in the Middle East, particularly after a U.S. military strike that killed Iranian leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, FIFA maintains that the tournament will proceed as planned.

Iran has already qualified for the expanded 48-team tournament, which will feature matches in cities like Los Angeles and Seattle. Concerns arose regarding the Iranian representatives' ability to attend the World Cup, especially after a failed meeting in Atlanta.

However, JT Batson, the CEO of the United States Soccer Federation, supports Iran's inclusion. FIFA's Chief Operating Officer, Heimo Schirgi, stated that postponing the tournament is unrealistic.