FIFA President Infantino Confirms Iran’s Participation in 2026 World Cup: ‘Iran Will Come, That’s for Sure’

Reflecto News | Sports & Geopolitics | 2026 World Cup

WASHINGTON — FIFA President Gianni Infantino has firmly confirmed that Iran will participate in the 2026 World Cup despite the ongoing war with the United States and Israel, stating unequivocally that “Iran will come, that’s for sure” .

The comments come amid heightened tensions following the February 28 outbreak of the US-Israeli military campaign against Iran, which has cast doubt over the national team’s ability to travel to North America for the tournament co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico .

🌍 ‘Sports Should Be Outside of Politics’

Speaking at an economic conference organized by CNBC, Infantino made the football governing body’s position clear, emphasizing the importance of separating sports from geopolitical conflicts.

“Iran is coming for sure. We hope that by then the situation will be a peaceful situation, that would definitely help. But Iran has to come, they represent their people, they have qualified, the players want to play.”
— Gianni Infantino, FIFA President

Infantino acknowledged the complexity of keeping sports apolitical in such a charged environment, adding that “if there’s nobody else that believes in building bridges and keeping them intact and together, we are doing the job” .

The FIFA President met personally with the Iranian national team in Antalya, Turkey, approximately one month ago, confirming that the players are motivated to compete. “I went to see them. They are actually quite a good team as well,” he said .

🇮🇷 Iran Confirms ‘Proud Participation’

Tehran has also signaled its intent to compete. Iranian government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohejerani told state media that the men’s national team is preparing for “proud and successful participation” in its World Cup games .

The Ministry of Youth and Sports has announced “the full preparedness of our national soccer team for presence in the 2026 World Cup in the US, by the order of the minister,” Mohejerani stated . She added that “the necessary arrangements that these dear ones need for the team’s proud and successful participation have been made” .

Despite the suspension of the domestic Iranian soccer league during the war, the team’s official Instagram account has posted images of practice sessions in Tehran, indicating active preparation .

🇺🇸 US Security and Entry Hurdles Remain

While FIFA and Iran have confirmed participation, significant logistical challenges remain. A key issue to be resolved is the issuance of entry visas by the US government for the Iranian delegation .

Notably, Mehdi Taj, the president of the Iranian football federation and a vice president of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), was previously denied entry to the World Cup draw in Washington D.C. in December and will require clearance to re-enter the US for the tournament .

Iran had previously requested that FIFA move its matches from the United States to Mexico, a request the world governing body rejected .

🗓️ Match Schedule & Group G Preview

Iran is scheduled to play all three of its Group G matches in the United States:

The team is expected to arrive at its training camp in Tucson, Arizona no later than June 10, fulfilling FIFA’s requirement of arriving at least five days before their first game .

⚽ A Historic Tournament Context

The 2026 World Cup is the first to feature 48 teams (up from the previous 32-team format) and will be played across 16 cities in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, concluding on July 19 .

Iran has never reached the knockout round in six FIFA World Cup appearances. Their best performance came at Russia 2018 when they were within a point of advancing from a tough group made up of Spain, Portugal, and Morocco .

🔮 Outlook: The Path to June

Infantino concluded his remarks with a final commitment to the team: “If there’s nobody else that believes in building bridges and in keeping them, you know, intact and together, we are doing that job” .

Despite the ongoing war, the fragile truce that came into effect on April 8 provides a diplomatic window for the team’s preparation and travel . The Iranian team appears committed to competing, and FIFA remains equally committed to ensuring their participation.

📊 Key Takeaways

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