FIFA President Reaffirms Iran's Participation in 2026 World Cup with Matches in United States as Scheduled
FIFA President Gianni Infantino confirmed Iran will compete in the 2026 World Cup and play all matches in the United States despite recent diplomatic tensions between Iran and the U.S.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has reconfirmed that Iran will participate in the 2026 FIFA World Cup and will play all of its matches in the United States as originally planned. The 2026 World Cup will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, but Iran has become a focal point of concern following military tensions involving U.S. action, raising questions about whether the country will compete, particularly since all of Iran's matches are scheduled to take place in the United States. The situation became more strained when Iranian officials failed to attend the latest FIFA meeting in Vancouver, Canada on April 30—a pre-World Cup preparatory session—after the Canadian government denied them entry visas. During the meeting, Infantino stated: "Iran will certainly participate in the 2026 World Cup and will play in the United States as well. The reason is simple—we must come together as one. This is my responsibility, our responsibility."
