FIFA President Gianni Infantino confirmed that Iran will participate in the 2026 World Cup despite ongoing tensions between Iran and the United States. Speaking at CNBC’s Invest in America Forum, Infantino emphasized the importance of sports being separate from politics.
Key Takeaways
FIFA President Gianni Infantino confirmed that Iran will participate in the 2026 World Cup despite ongoing tensions between Iran and the United States. Speaking at CNBC’s Invest in America Forum, Infantino emphasized the importance of sports being separate from politics.
- FIFA President Gianni Infantino stated Iran will 'for sure' participate in the World Cup
- Infantino met with the Iranian national team in Antalya, Turkey, two weeks ago and was impressed by their determination to play
- The U.S. is co-hosting the World Cup with Canada and Mexico; Iran is scheduled to play group-stage games in California and Seattle
Infantino stated, 'The Iranian team is coming for sure.' He met with the Iranian national team in Antalya, Turkey, two weeks ago and was impressed by their determination to play. 'They really want to play and they should play,' Infantino said. The FIFA president acknowledged that while it's not always possible to separate sports from politics, he believes in building bridges through sports.
The United States will co-host the World Cup with Canada and Mexico. Iran is scheduled to play two group-stage games in Inglewood, California, and one in Seattle. However, there have been conflicting public comments from Iranian government and soccer officials regarding their participation. U.S. President Donald Trump has appeared to waffle on whether Iran should take part in the tournament.
Infantino's remarks come amid significant concerns about ticket costs and security for the millions of international fans expected to attend the World Cup. He noted that there has been unprecedented demand for tickets, with over 500 million requests received from all 211 countries. Infantino emphasized that a successful tournament would involve no security incidents and great matches.
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