FIFA President Gianni Infantino said US President Donald Trump had agreed to allow Iran to travel to the United States to take part in the 2026 World Cup, despite ongoing tensions in West Asia. The assurance comes at a time of growing uncertainty over whether Iran would be able to participate in games scheduled on American soil.
The tournament, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19, saw Iran drawn into a group where all of their matches will be played in the US. Infantino said after the meeting with Trump that the US president had made it clear that the Iranian national team would be welcome at the tournament.
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“We also talked about the current situation in Iran and the Iranian team qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup,” Infantino said.
“During the discussions, President Trump reiterated that the Iranian team is of course welcome to compete in the tournament in the United States.”
“We all need an event like the World Cup to bring people together more than ever,” Infantino added, thanking Trump for his support.
Iran will open their campaign against the New Zealand national football team in Inglewood on June 15. They will then face the Belgium national football team on June 21 before finishing their group stage matches against the Egyptian national football team on June 26 in Seattle.
FIFA’s statement comes after Iranian officials recently questioned whether it would be practical for the national team to travel to a country with which it currently has heightened military tensions.
IRAN WILL NOT PLAY FIFA WORLD CUP 2026?
Concerns about Iran’s participation grew after Mehdi Taj publicly expressed doubts about sending a team to a tournament hosted partly in the United States.
Speaking on Iranian state television earlier, Taj questioned whether it made sense for a national party to compete in a country currently embroiled in conflict with Iran.
The uncertainty was also related to earlier travel restrictions by the Trump administration, which previously prevented Iranian citizens from entering the United States under the travel ban.
Despite these concerns, FIFA now expects Iran to participate in the tournament as scheduled, with group stage matches to be played in Los Angeles and Seattle.
IRANIAN WOMEN’S TEAM GET ASYLUM IN AUSTRALIA
Geopolitical tensions have also affected other parts of Iranian football.
Seven members of the Iranian women’s national football team have been granted asylum in Australia after applying for humanitarian visas while the team was in the country for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup.
Australian Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke confirmed two other people linked to the team had been granted asylum shortly before the rest of the unit left for Iran.
The team traveled to Australia to compete in a continental tournament before tensions escalated in the region. Their presence soon became a major point of discussion among the Iranian communities living in the country.
Protests were held outside the team’s hotel and at the airport, with some activists urging the players not to return to Iran due to security concerns.
The team eventually left Sydney after being kicked out of the tournament earlier in the week, amid emotional scenes and widespread debate over their future.
However, Iranian authorities insisted the players would be safe when they returned home. Iran’s First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref said the government would welcome the team back and criticized what he called outside interference in the matter.
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Issued by:
Debodinna Chakraborty
Published on:
March 11, 2026 12:58 PM IST
