FIFA PRESIDENT, Gianni Infantino, has confirmed that Iran will participate in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, putting to rest weeks of uncertainty caused by escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.
Speaking at CNBC’s Invest in America Forum, Infantino stated unequivocally that “the Iranian team is coming for sure”, emphasizing that the team has already qualified and deserves to compete on football’s biggest stage.
He reiterated FIFA’s long-standing stance that sport should remain independent of political conflict, even while acknowledging that separating the two is not always straightforward. Iran had reportedly requested that its matches be moved to Mexico due to security concerns. However, FIFA rejected the proposal, confirming that the original schedule would remain unchanged. As per current indication Iran will play group-stage matches in the United States with the likely venues being Los Angeles (Inglewood) and Seattle.
