FIFA president Gianni Infantino announced on Wednesday that Iran will “certainly” compete in the 2026 World Cup, undeterred by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
“Iran will be there, without a doubt. We hope by that time the situation will be more peaceful, as that would certainly help matters,” Infantino remarked during an economic conference hosted by CNBC.
“It’s important for Iran to participate; they represent their nation, they’ve qualified, and the players are eager to compete,” he stated, referring to the team’s upcoming matches set to take place in the United States in June.
Infantino had made similar remarks back in March while attending a friendly match between Iran and Costa Rica in Antalya, Turkey, despite previous concerns raised by US President Donald Trump about the safety of Iranian players in the United States.
Iran’s squad is slated to play all three of their Group G matches in the United States—two in Los Angeles and one in Seattle—with Tucson, Arizona, designated as their training base for the tournament.
‘Beyond Politics’
The prospect of Iran’s participation in the World Cup, jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, appeared uncertain following the outbreak of hostilities between the United States and Israel that commenced on February 28.
Tehran had hinted at a potential “boycott” of the tournament and even requested FIFA to relocate its matches from the United States to Mexico—an appeal that was ultimately turned down by the football governing body.
Following weeks of aerial assaults on Iran and retaliatory actions against Israel and other nations in the region, a fragile ceasefire was established on April 8.
However, Tehran has since closed the vital Strait of Hormuz, and as of Monday, Washington has enacted a blockade on vessels entering or leaving Iranian ports.
“Sport should exist separate from politics,” Infantino asserted on Wednesday.
“If there’s nobody else advocating for the construction and preservation of bridges, we are taking it upon ourselves to do so,” he added.
The World Cup, notable for being the first to feature 48 teams, is set to commence on June 11.
Compiled by SportArena.au
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