FIFA president Gianni Infantino has confirmed that Iran will play their World Cup matches in the United States this summer, dispelling recent uncertainty following US and Israeli airstrikes on 28 February. The announcement came during the FIFA Congress in Vancouver, where Infantino addressed concerns about Iran's participation.
Infantino's Assurance
Opening his Congress address, Infantino stated unequivocally: "Let me start at the outset by confirming straight away, for those who maybe want to say something else or write something else, that of course Iran will be participating at the FIFA World Cup 2026." He added, to cheers from delegates, that Iran would indeed play in the United States, emphasizing the unifying power of football: "The reason for that is simple, because we have to unite. We have to bring people together."
Background of Uncertainty
Recent tensions had cast doubt on Iran's involvement. The US and Israeli airstrikes on 28 February heightened geopolitical strains, and Iran's football association was notably absent from the FIFA Congress. It is understood that two Iranian delegates with Canadian visas chose not to attend after a group member was denied entry in Toronto. US President Donald Trump had previously stated it would be "inappropriate" for Iran to compete "for their own life and safety."
Iran's World Cup Schedule
Iran will kick off their campaign against New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15. Should both Iran and the US finish second in their respective groups, they could face each other in the round of 32.
Infantino's Vision of Unity
Infantino emphasized the importance of unity in a divided world: "There are enough problems around the world. There are enough people who try to divide all over the world. If nobody tries to unite, what will happen to our world? We have to do it, and we have this opportunity."
FIFA's Financial and Governance Updates
Associations will vote for FIFA's next president at the 2027 Congress. Although Infantino did not confirm his candidacy, he highlighted achievements during his tenure, including 2.7 billion US dollars (£2bn) in development funding for 2027-2030—an eightfold increase from pre-office levels. Revenue for the current cycle (2022-2026) is projected to exceed 14 billion US dollars (£10.3bn), surpassing budget expectations.
Ticket Pricing Controversy
The majority of revenue stems from the 2026 World Cup. FIFA has faced criticism for dynamic pricing and high ticket costs. Infantino defended the strategy: "We had 500 million ticket requests. In the last two World Cups together, we had 50 million. Here, 500 million. We sold 100 per cent of the inventory... There are expensive tickets, yes, but there are also affordable tickets."
He stressed that all revenue is reinvested into football through distributions to member associations and competition development. "In a big majority of our countries, we could not have organised football the way we know it without the grants and the revenues and the FIFA Forward programme," Infantino concluded.
