FIFA President Infantino: Iran 'Must Come' to 2026 World Cup
The Iranian men's national soccer team has qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America, an event expected to be massive in scale. However, the team's participation has been complicated by ongoing political tensions between the U.S. and Iran, leading Iran's sports minister to initially declare that the team could not attend. Countering these concerns, FIFA President Gianni Infantino strongly asserted that Iran "must come," arguing that international sports must remain separate from political disputes. Infantino made these statements after visiting the Iranian team in Turkey, reaffirming the team's desire to play. Logistically, Iran is scheduled to play all three of its group stage matches in the U.S., and Infantino also addressed fan concerns, noting unprecedented ticket demand and emphasizing the importance of security.
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Amid heightened geopolitical tensions between the U.S. and Iran, FIFA President Gianni Infantino has strongly asserted that the Iranian men's national soccer team will participate in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, emphasizing that sport must remain separate from politics.
Qualification and Context
The Iranian men's national team was among the first to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America. This tournament is anticipated to be FIFA's largest ever, projected to generate significant revenue and draw millions of international fans.
Political Hurdles to Participation
Despite qualifying, Iran's participation has been clouded by the ongoing U.S.-Iran political tensions. The conflict led to a public statement from Iran's sports minister, who declared that the team could not participate due to the political climate.
The minister stated that participation was impossible given the current political situation.
Separately, former U.S. President Donald Trump expressed skepticism regarding the appropriateness of the team's presence, citing concerns for the players' safety.
FIFA's Stance: Sport Over Politics
Addressing the controversy in Washington, D.C., FIFA President Gianni Infantino countered the concerns, stating that Iran's presence was inevitable. Speaking at the Invest in America Forum, Infantino stressed the need for international sporting events to transcend political disputes.
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Infantino stated, "Iran has to come, of course. They represent their people. They have qualified. The players want to play."
He emphasized that "sports should be outside of politics," arguing that the global community must continue building bridges through sport.
Tournament Logistics and Scheduling
Infantino recently visited the Iranian team at their training camp in Antalya, Turkey, confirming that the players were eager to compete. If Iran participates, their group stage matches are scheduled entirely within the United States:
June 15: vs. New Zealand (Los Angeles)
June 21: vs. Belgium (Los Angeles)
June 26: vs. Egypt (Seattle)
Previously, the Iranian football federation had requested FIFA to move their matches to Mexico, which is a co-hosting nation, but this request was denied.
Broader World Cup Concerns
Beyond the political issues, the 2026 World Cup has faced other major concerns, including ticket costs and fan safety. Infantino addressed these points, noting:
Ticket Demand: He reported an "unprecedented demand for tickets," citing over 500 million ticket requests from all 211 countries.
Security: While acknowledging security is "crucial," he maintained confidence in the global readiness for the event, stating that "everybody's coming and everybody wants to come."
