Iran’s participation at this year’s World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the United States has been shrouded in uncertainty since the eruption of war in the Middle East in February following strikes by the United States and Israel.
Infantino, who has repeatedly stated that Iran will be at the World Cup, underscored that stance at the start of his address to delegates as Fifa’s 76th Congress got under way in western Canada.
“Let me start by the outset, confirming straight away that of course Iran will be participating at the Fifa World Cup 2026,” Infantino said. “And of course, Iran will play (in) the United States of America.”
Infantino’s remarks drew swift support from close ally US President Donald Trump, who told reporters in the Oval Office he was “OK” with Iran’s participation.
“Well, if Gianni said it, I’m OK,” Trump said. “I think let ’em play.”
Iranian officials had floated the idea of shifting their group games from the United States to Mexico, but that proposal had already been nixed by Infantino.
In a further twist last week, Italy-born US special envoy Paolo Zampolli was reported to have floated the idea of Italy taking Iran’s World Cup place.
The US government later distanced themselves from that proposal, with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio saying Iran’s footballers would be welcome.
But the tension surrounding Iran’s World Cup participation rumbled into the build-up to Thursday’s summit.
Iran’s delegation was the only absentee from the 211-member congress as Thursday’s meeting got under way after a clash with Canadian border officials earlier this week.
Officials from the Iranian football federation (FFIRI) abruptly left Canada after landing in Toronto, abandoning their onward trip to Vancouver.
Iranian media said FFIRI president Mehdi Taj – a former member of Tehran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) – and two colleagues flew home after being “insulted” by Canadian immigration officers.
Canada, which designated the IRGC a terrorist organisation in 2024, said on Wednesday that individuals linked to the force were “inadmissible.”
Iran, who are due to be based in Tucson, Arizona, during the World Cup, face New Zealand, Belgium and Egypt in Group G.
The Iranians open their World Cup campaign against New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15. (AFP)
