Gianni Infantino Says Trump Has Assured Iran Are “Welcome” At 2026 World Cup

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has confirmed that Iran will be welcome to participate in the 2026 World Cup after receiving assurances from United States President Donald Trump. Infantino disclosed on Wednesday that he had spoken with Trump about Iran’s involvement in the tournament, which is set to take place in June across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

In an Instagram post earlier today, Infantino said he and Trump discussed preparations for the competition and the growing excitement surrounding the event. The announcement comes amid heightened tensions in the Middle East following U.S. and Israeli military strikes that killed Iranian leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, sparking retaliatory attacks in the region.

Iran has already qualified for the expanded 48-team tournament and is scheduled to play group matches in Los Angeles and Seattle. However, concerns about its participation arose after Iranian officials missed a recent World Cup planning meeting in Atlanta.

“During the discussions, President Trump reiterated that the Iranian team is, of course, welcome to compete in the tournament in the United States,” Infantino wrote. “We all need an event like the FIFA World Cup to bring people together now more than ever, and I sincerely thank the President of the United States for his support, as it shows once again that Football Unites the World.”

Trump had previously expressed skepticism about Iran’s involvement, telling Politico last week, “I really don’t care (if Iran participates). I think Iran is a very badly defeated country. They’re running on fumes.” Despite this, Infantino and Trump have maintained a close working relationship, with Infantino attending Trump’s pre-inauguration rally and inauguration and presenting him with the newly created FIFA Peace Prize during the 2026 World Cup draw in Washington.

JT Batson, Chief Executive of the United States Soccer Federation, also endorsed Iran’s inclusion, stating, “FIFA president Gianni Infantino shared over the weekend the intention of a safe and secure World Cup where all teams are participating. And we’re certainly very supportive of that.”

FIFA has reiterated that the tournament will proceed as planned despite political tensions. Chief Operating Officer Heimo Schirgi emphasized that the scale of the competition makes any postponement unrealistic, stating, “At some stage, we will have a resolution, and the World Cup will go on, obviously. The World Cup is too big, and we hope that everyone that has qualified can participate.”

Iran is currently drawn in a group with Belgium, New Zealand, and Egypt for the group stage of the tournament, which will feature 48 teams for the first time in history.