During the FIFA Congress, Infantino confirmed that Iran would “of course” participate in the tournament and play in the US as planned. He assured that the event would proceed as scheduled despite the existing political tensions between the two nations.
“Let me begin by saying that Iran will indeed be taking part in the FIFA World Cup 2026. And Iran will participate in the United States of America. The reason is quite simple: we need to come together. It is my duty, our duty,” stated Infantino.
This announcement follows incidents where members of Iran’s football federation, including president Mehdi Taj, were prohibited from attending a FIFA Congress in Canada. Although they possessed valid visas, they were stopped at Toronto’s airport and denied entry, an action Iran deemed “unacceptable behavior.”
Canada views Iran’s military group, the ‘Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC),’ as a terrorist organization. The officials mentioned that entry is evaluated on a case-by-case basis, meaning anyone associated with the IRGC can be denied entry, even with a valid visa.
“Individuals are barred from entry. We have a series of screenings in place, and we take necessary actions. No members have been allowed to enter the country. Appropriate measures have been enforced,” said Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.
Last week, a top official close to US President Donald Trump reportedly advised him and Infantino to consider replacing Iran with Italy in the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026.
“As an Italian, it would be a dream to see the Azzurri at a tournament hosted in the US. With four titles, they have the credentials to merit inclusion,” commented Paolo Zampolli.
In March, Trump mentioned that while he was “welcoming” Iran to participate, it might not be “suitable” for the team to come to the US “for their own life and safety.”
Recently, Trump stated he was “okay” with Iran joining the World Cup. “If Gianni said so, I’m fine with it. Did Gianni say it?… You know what? Let them play. Gianni’s fantastic; he’s a friend of mine. He mentioned it.”
When speaking to reporters, he added, “You can do as you wish. You can accept them or not. They probably have a good team. Do they have a good team?”
The FIFA World Cup 2026 is set to commence on June 11 and continue until July 19, with matches taking place across various host cities in the US, Canada, and Mexico.
Iran’s matches are planned to occur in Los Angeles and Seattle, starting their campaign with a game against New Zealand on June 15 at SoFi Stadium.
