FIFA President Confirms 2026 World Cup Will Proceed Amid Iran's Participation Concerns
FIFA World Cup 2026 Set to Go Ahead
Zurich, Switzerland - FIFA President Gianni Infantino has announced that the 2026 FIFA World Cup will continue as planned, despite ongoing uncertainties regarding Iran's involvement due to regional tensions with Israel and the United States.
The tournament, co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, will feature a total of 104 matches, kicking off at the Mexico City Stadium on June 11. The final match is scheduled to take place at the New Jersey Stadium on July 19.
Iran, which has secured a spot in the 48-team tournament, is placed in Group G and is set to play its matches in Los Angeles and Seattle against Belgium, New Zealand, and Egypt. However, the current geopolitical situation has raised questions about their ability to compete on U.S. soil.
In light of these concerns, Infantino reassured that all 48 teams are expected to participate and compete with respect for one another. He stated, "FIFA is eager for all teams to join the World Cup and engage in fair play and mutual respect," during an online FIFA Council meeting from Zurich.
Infantino emphasized, "We have a timeline in place. The confirmation of the 48 competing teams will be finalized soon, and we are committed to ensuring the World Cup proceeds as scheduled."
His remarks followed comments from Mehdi Taj, President of the Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran (FFIRI), who indicated that Iran is negotiating with FIFA to move its group matches to Mexico due to serious security concerns and political tensions surrounding the event.
In a post on X, Taj mentioned that U.S. President Donald Trump had explicitly stated he could not guarantee the safety of the Iranian national team, which has heightened Tehran's fears about traveling to the U.S. for the World Cup.
Taj stated, "Given Trump's clear indication that he cannot ensure the safety of our national team, we will not travel to America. We are currently in discussions with FIFA to host Iran's matches in Mexico instead."
مهدی تاج رئیس فدراسیون فوتبال ایران:
وقتی ترامپ صراحتأ اعلام کرده است که نمیتواند امنیت تیم ملی ایران را تأمین کند، قطعا به آمریکا سفر نمیکنیم/در حال مذاکره با فیفا هستیم تا مسابقات ایران در جام جهانی، در کشور مکزیک برگزار شود
— Embajada de Irán en México (@IraninMexico) March 16, 2026
Additionally, Iranian Sports Minister Ahmad Donyamali stated that the country would not participate in the World Cup due to the U.S. killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. He remarked, "Given that this corrupt regime [the U.S.] has assassinated our leader, we cannot participate in the World Cup under any circumstances," as reported by Al Jazeera.