FIFA President Gianni Infantino follows a friendly soccer match between Iran and Costa Rica, in Antalya, southern Turkey, on March 31, 2026. (Riza Ozel/AP)
The specter of war between Iran and the United States has done little to shake FIFA’s resolve: the Iranian national football team will take the field at this summer’s World Cup on American soil, the sport’s global governing body insists.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino delivered that unambiguous assurance on Wednesday, telling attendees at CNBC’s Invest in America Forum that Iran’s place in the tournament is secure regardless of the ongoing military conflict that has engulfed the region since the US and Israel launched airstrikes on the country.
“The Iranian team is coming for sure, yes,” Infantino said. “We hope that by then, of course, the situation will be a peaceful situation. As I said, that would definitely help. But Iran has to come. Of course, they represent their people. They have qualified. The players want to play.”
The statement carries particular weight given that the tournament will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico — meaning Iran would compete on the territory of one of the nations actively engaged in hostilities against it. Under the current schedule, Iran is slated to play two group-stage matches in Inglewood, California, and a third in Seattle, Washington.
Infantino’s confidence appears grounded in direct contact with the squad. He traveled to Antalya, Turkey, two weeks ago to meet with the Iranian national team, coming away with a favorable impression of both their form and their determination.
“I went to see them. They are actually quite a good team as well,” he said. “And they really want to play and they should play. Sports should be outside of politics now.”
That sentiment, however idealistic, runs headlong into the deeply politicized reality surrounding Iran’s participation. Conflicting signals have emerged from Iranian government and football officials, and US President Donald Trump has publicly discouraged the Iranian team from attending the tournament, citing safety concerns — an extraordinary intervention from the host nation’s head of state that has only deepened uncertainty.
Infantino acknowledged the tension between his vision for football as a unifying force and the harsh realities of geopolitics, stopping short of claiming that the sport operates in a vacuum.
“OK we don’t live on the moon, we live on planet Earth,” he said. “But you know if there is nobody else that believes in building bridges and in keeping them, you know, intact and together, well we are doing that job.”
Iran qualified for the 2026 World Cup through the Asian Football Confederation qualifying rounds, and the team’s players — many of whom compete professionally in European leagues — have reportedly been eager to participate despite the turbulent backdrop. FIFA has so far given no indication it would consider relocating or cancelling Iran’s scheduled fixtures.
By: Andrews Kwesi Yeboah