World Cup Sh*ck: Infantino Reveals Trump Assured Iran Of 2026 Participation

Infantino disclosed early Wednesday that he had spoken with Trump about Iran’s participation in the tournament, which begins in June and will be hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Posting on Instagram, the FIFA chief said their discussion focused on preparations for the competition and the growing excitement ahead of kick-off.

The update comes amid heightened geopolitical tensions following American and Israeli military strikes on Iran that reportedly killed Iranian leader Ali Khamenei, sparking retaliatory attacks across parts of the Middle East.

Iran has already secured qualification for the expanded 48-team tournament and is scheduled to play group-stage matches in Los Angeles and Seattle. However, uncertainty over the country’s participation emerged after Iranian representatives failed to attend a World Cup planning meeting in Atlanta last week involving participating football federations.

Infantino said his conversation with Trump directly addressed the issue.

According to him, the U.S. president reaffirmed that Iran’s national team would be welcome to compete in the tournament hosted in the United States.

He added that global events like the 2026 FIFA World Cup are important in bringing people together, particularly during periods of global tension, and thanked the U.S. president for supporting the idea.

Trump had earlier sounded less enthusiastic about Iran’s involvement. In an interview with Politico last week, he said he was not particularly concerned about whether Iran would participate, describing the country as severely weakened.

Infantino and Trump have maintained a close relationship during the president’s time in office. The FIFA chief attended Trump’s pre-inauguration rally and inauguration in January and has also appeared at several briefings in the Oval Office.

During the World Cup draw held in Washington, D.C. last December, Infantino presented Trump with a newly introduced FIFA Peace Prize, created to recognise individuals who take exceptional actions to promote peace and unity around the world.

Meanwhile, the Chief Executive of the United States Soccer Federation, JT Batson, has also voiced support for Iran’s participation.

Batson said FIFA’s intention is to ensure a safe and secure tournament where all qualified teams can compete, adding that the U.S. federation fully supports that objective.

Despite the political tensions, FIFA officials insist the competition will proceed as scheduled.

The federation’s Chief Operating Officer, Heimo Schirgi, said postponing the event would be unrealistic due to its scale.

The 2026 World Cup, jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, is now just three months away and will feature 48 teams for the first time in the tournament’s history.

Schirgi said the organisation expects the situation to be resolved and remains hopeful that every nation that has qualified will be able to participate.

Iran is currently set to face Belgium, New Zealand, and Egypt during the group stage of the tournament. ⚽🌍