Iran’s Danial Esmaeilifar, Saman Ghoddos, Ali Nemati and Amirmohammad Razzaghinia maintain footage of broken buildings and younger victims as they line up earlier than the match towards Costa Rica, at Mardan Sports activities Complicated, Antalya, Turkiye, March 31, 2026. — ReutersÂ
Fifa president Gianni Infantino mentioned that Iran will “for sure” take part within the 2026 World Cup regardless of the Center East battle.
“Iran is coming for sure. We hope that by then the situation will be a peaceful situation, that would definitely help,” Infantino informed an financial convention organised by broadcaster CNBC.
“But Iran has to come, they represent their people, they have qualified, the players want to play,” he mentioned of the group’s upcoming matches scheduled in america in June.
Infantino had made comparable feedback in March, when he attended an Iran-Costa Rica pleasant in Antalya, Turkiye, though US President Donald Trump had beforehand advised that Iranian gamers won’t be “safe” in america.
Iran is scheduled to play its three Group G matches in america — two in Los Angeles, one in Seattle — with their base for the event in Tucson, Arizona.
‘Outdoors of politics’
Iran’s participation within the international event being co-hosted by america, Canada and Mexico had been thrown into doubt by the battle launched by america and Israel on February 28.
Iran raised the prospect of a “boycott” of the competitors earlier than asking Fifa to maneuver its matches from america to Mexico, a request the world governing physique rejected.
After a number of weeks of air strikes on Iran and Iranian reprisals towards Israel and different international locations within the area, a fragile truce got here into impact on April 8.
However Tehran has sealed off the strategic Strait of Hormuz and since Monday Washington has imposed a blockade on ships coming from or heading to Iranian ports.
“Sports should be outside of politics,” Infantino mentioned on Wednesday.
“If there’s nobody else that believes in building bridges and keeping them intact and together, we are doing the job,” he mentioned.
The World Cup, the primary to function 48 groups, begins on June 11.
