Trump Assures FIFA Boss Infantino Iran is Welcome at US World Cup
Amidst ongoing geopolitical tensions, FIFA President Gianni Infantino has received assurances from United States President Donald Trump regarding the participation of the Iranian national team in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, set to be hosted in the US, Canada, and Mexico. This confirmation comes after Iranian officials expressed concerns about their team’s ability to compete in the tournament due to the current conflict.
Trump’s Reversal and Infantino’s Meeting
President Trump’s assurance marks a shift from his previous stance, where he stated he “didn’t care” if Iran participated in the competition, describing the nation as “a particularly badly defeated country” according to a recent interview with Politico. Infantino met with Trump on Tuesday night to discuss preparations for the World Cup and specifically address the situation surrounding Iran’s potential participation.
“During the discussions, President Trump reiterated that the Iranian team is, of course, welcome to compete in the tournament in the United States,” Infantino stated in a post on Instagram as reported by KCRA.
Iran’s World Cup Schedule and Previous Concerns
Iran is scheduled to play its group-stage matches in the United States against New Zealand on June 15 in Inglewood, California, Belgium on June 21, and Egypt on June 26 in Seattle . However, recent events had cast doubt on their ability to participate, with Iranian representatives absent from a World Cup planning meeting in Atlanta last week .
FIFA’s Commitment to the Tournament
FIFA maintains that the World Cup will proceed as planned despite the ongoing conflict. The tournament, co-hosted by the US, Canada, and Mexico, is scheduled to run from June 11 to July 19 . Fans from Iran, however, are already banned from entering the U.S. .
Infantino’s Relationship with Trump
The relationship between FIFA President Gianni Infantino and President Trump is well-documented. Trump was previously awarded FIFA’s inaugural peace prize, a decision that drew criticism from many .