FIFA President Gianni Infantino said this on Wednesday iran Will “definitely” attend the World Cup this summer, despite the ongoing war with the United States.
The outbreak of the conflict on 28 February immediately cast doubt on Iran’s ability and willingness to complete the task of securing World Cup entry in March 2025 as one of Asia’s best teams.
The World Cup is being co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, but Iran is set to play all three of its group stage games in the US.
In the first half of March, Iranian government officials suggested several times that the team could not play in the World Cup, could not travel to the US and FIFA. Iran’s games should be moved to Mexico.
However, Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed last week that FIFA had rejected that request, with world football’s governing body insisting the World Cup will go ahead as scheduled.
“The Iranian team is definitely coming,” Infantino said Tuesday at CNBC’s Invest in America forum in Washington, DC.
“We hope that by then, of course, the situation will be peaceful, that will definitely help. But Iran will definitely have to come. They represent their people. They deserve. The players want to play.”
Iran’s chances of playing the World Cup in the United States appeared to improve late last month, when Infantino visited the team during a training camp in Antalya, Turkey.
“I went to meet them two weeks ago, they were holding a training camp in Antalya,” Infantino said. “And they really want to play. And they should play – sports should be out of politics.
“Now, okay – we don’t live on the Moon, we live on planet Earth, but if there’s no one else who believes in building bridges and keeping them intact and together, then okay, we’re doing that.”
The Iranian delegation is scheduled to arrive at the training camp in Tucson, Arizona before June 10 for the tournament to be held from June 11 to July 19. Its first match is to be held on June 15 against New Zealand at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. ready to take it belgium at the same venue on 21 June before facing egypt June 26 in Seattle.
If Iran are to advance in the tournament, its knockout games will also likely be held in the US
Despite FIFA’s public belief, US President Donald Trump has stated several times that “I don’t really care” if the Iran team comes, that their arrival is welcome and that the players will be treated like stars and that The safety of the players was in danger.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
