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Infantino: Iran is In! World Cup Spot Secured
1 May
Summary
- FIFA President Infantino reaffirms Iran's 2026 World Cup participation.
- Iran's delegation missed the FIFA Congress in Vancouver due to visa issues.
- Protests against Iran's participation occurred outside the FIFA Congress.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has reiterated that Iran will compete in the 2026 World Cup. His announcement came as Iran's delegation was notably absent from the FIFA Congress held in Vancouver. This absence marked the only missing delegation among the 210 member associations.
The source indicated that two delegation members received permission to enter Canada but opted not to attend due to a third member being denied a visa. Protesters associated with the Mission for My Motherland voiced their opposition to Iran's participation outside the congress.
Infantino previously addressed security concerns and travel difficulties for Middle Eastern teams. Earlier in the year, Iran had considered moving their World Cup games due to regional conflicts, though this seemed unlikely. Even U.S. President Donald Trump initially expressed safety concerns for the team but later supported Infantino's decision.
Iran is scheduled to arrive in the U.S. in early June for the tournament. They will be based in Tucson, Arizona, and are set to play their opening match on June 15 in Inglewood, California.
