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FIFA President Gianni Infantino has firmly backed Iran's participation in the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026, stating the team will feature in the tournament despite ongoing geopolitical tensions and security concerns.
Speaking at CNBC's Invest in America Forum on Wednesday, Infantino dismissed doubts surrounding Iran's involvement following the recent conflict involving the United States and Israel. "The Iranian team is coming for sure, yes," Infantino said, as quoted by CBS News. "We hope that by then, of course, the situation will be a peaceful situation. As I said, that would definitely help. But Iran has to come. Of course, they represent their people. They have qualified. The players want to play." Infantino, who recently met the Iranian squad in Antalya, Turkey, underlined both their quality and desire to compete on the global stage. "I went to see them. They are actually quite a good team as well," he said. "And they really want to play and they should play. Sports should be outside of politics now." The United States will co-host the 2026 FIFA World Cup alongside Canada and Mexico. The tournament will feature 104 matches, beginning at Mexico City Stadium on June 11 and culminating at New Jersey Stadium with the final on 19 July. Iran's qualification for the tournament gave the nation a place in Group G. Iran is scheduled to play its fixtures in Los Angeles and Seattle. They will face Belgium, New Zealand, and Egypt. However, due to regional conflict, their participation has cast uncertainty on US soil. The uncertainty over Iran's participation had intensified after remarks from US President Donald Trump. While initially indicating that Iran would be welcome, Trump later raised concerns over the team's safety, stating on Truth Social that although the Iranian side was "Welcome" to participate, he did not "Believe it is appropriate that they be there, for their own life and safety." Following those remarks, Mehdi Taj, president of the Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran (FFIRI), said the nation was negotiating with FIFA to play its matches in Mexico. "When [President] Trump has explicitly stated that he cannot ensure the security of the Iranian national team, we will certainly not travel to America," Mehdi Taj said last month. As per the current schedule, Iran's group-stage fixtures are set to take place in Los Angeles and Seattle, including matches at the iconic SoFi Stadium. FIFA World Cup 2026, the first to feature 48 teams and 104 matches, will kick off on June 11 in Mexico City and conclude with the final in New Jersey on July 19. (ANI)
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