FIFA President Gianni Infantino has confirmed that Iran will participate in this year’s FIFA World Cup, expressing optimism that the security situation in the Middle East will stabilise before the tournament kicks off.
Speaking at an economic conference organised by CNBC, Infantino said Iran’s qualification guarantees its place in the competition, regardless of ongoing geopolitical tensions.
“Iran is coming for sure. We hope that by then the situation will be a peaceful situation, which would definitely help,” Infantino said.
He added that the team’s presence at the tournament is non-negotiable, stressing the importance of separating sports from politics.
“But Iran has to come, they represent their people, they have qualified, the players want to play,” he said, referring to the team’s scheduled matches in the United States.
Infantino had earlier made similar remarks during an international friendly between Iran and Costa Rica in Antalya, Turkey, amid concerns raised by former U.S. President Donald Trump, who suggested Iranian players might not be “safe” competing in the United States.
Iran is slated to play its Group G matches across multiple U.S. cities, including Los Angeles and Seattle, with a tournament base in Tucson, Arizona.
However, its participation had been thrown into uncertainty following escalating conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran in recent months. The tensions prompted Tehran to consider boycotting the tournament and request that its matches be relocated to Mexico — a proposal FIFA ultimately declined.
Despite weeks of airstrikes and retaliatory attacks across the region, a fragile truce has recently taken hold. Still, concerns linger as Iran has shut down the strategic Strait of Hormuz, while Washington continues to enforce restrictions on maritime traffic linked to Iranian ports.
Infantino reiterated FIFA’s stance on neutrality, emphasizing the unifying power of football even in times of conflict.
“Sports should be outside of politics,” he said. “If there’s nobody else that believes in building bridges and keeping them intact and together, we are doing the job.”
The upcoming FIFA World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, will be the first edition to feature 48 teams and is scheduled to begin in the coming months.
