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FIFA: World Cup Too Big to Cancel Amid Mideast Conflict
10 Mar
Summary
- FIFA COO confirms 2026 World Cup will proceed as planned.
- Geopolitical conflicts in the Middle East will not affect the tournament.
- The upcoming World Cup is slated to be the largest ever in history.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is confirmed to proceed as planned, according to FIFA Chief Operating Officer Heimo Schirgi. Speaking on March 10, Schirgi addressed concerns about ongoing conflict in the Middle East, particularly regarding Iran's participation. He affirmed that the tournament is "too big" to be canceled and expressed FIFA's hope that all qualified nations, including Iran, will be able to compete.
FIFA is actively monitoring the evolving situation in the Middle East and collaborating with federal and international partners to assess daily developments. Iran, having qualified through the Asian Football Conference, is scheduled to compete in Group G. The upcoming 2026 World Cup is set to be the largest iteration of the tournament to date, expanding to include 48 competing nations.
