President of world football governing body, Gianni Infantino, has revealed that he held talks with United States President Donald Trump regarding the participation of Iran in the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The tournament will be jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada from June 11 to July 19, 2026.
Infantino disclosed on Wednesday that Trump assured him the Iranian national team would be welcomed to compete in the tournament despite the ongoing geopolitical tensions involving Iran.
Speaking after their meeting, Infantino said the discussion also focused on the current political situation in Iran and its implications for global football events.
“We also spoke about the current situation in Iran, and the fact that the Iranian team has qualified to participate in the FIFA World Cup 2026,” Infantino wrote in a post on his official social media account.
“During the discussions, President Trump reiterated that the Iranian team is, of course, welcome to compete in the tournament in the United States.”
Trump had earlier told Politico that he had no concerns about Iran’s participation, describing the country as a “very badly defeated country,” but emphasizing that their national team should still be allowed to compete.
The issue had attracted attention after Iran was notably absent from a recent FIFA planning summit for World Cup participants held in Atlanta.
Their absence raised questions about whether the Middle Eastern nation would be allowed to play matches on U.S. soil amid escalating regional conflict.
Infantino, however, stressed that the World Cup should remain a unifying global event.
“We all need an event like the FIFA World Cup to bring people together now more than ever,” he said.
“I sincerely thank the President of the United States for his support, as it shows once again that football unites the world.”
Iran secured qualification for a fourth consecutive World Cup appearance after topping Group A in the final round of Asian qualifiers last year.
However, the president of the Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Mehdi Taj, has expressed concerns that the ongoing military tensions involving U.S. and Israeli forces could complicate preparations for the tournament.
At the 2026 World Cup, Iran have been drawn in Group G alongside Belgium, Egypt and New Zealand.
Their group matches are scheduled to be played in the United States, including two games in Los Angeles and another in Seattle.
There is also a potential political flashpoint later in the tournament.
If both the United States and Iran finish second in their respective groups, the two nations could face each other in a knockout-stage clash scheduled for July 3 in Dallas.
The possibility of such a meeting would add further intrigue to a tournament already expected to attract global attention both on and off the pitch.
The post Infantino Says Trump Welcomes Iran’s Participation at 2026 World Cup first appeared on Africa Top Sports.
