FIFA President Gianni Infantino said Iran will “for sure” compete in the upcoming FIFA World Cup, despite tensions with the United States.
At CNBC’s Invest in America Forum, held before recent escalations, Infantino emphasized the importance of Iran’s World Cup participation despite concerns following reported U.S. and Israeli airstrikes.
“The Iranian team is coming for sure, yes,” Infantino said. “We hope that by then, of course, the situation will be a peaceful one. 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 recently met the Iranian national team in Antalya, Turkey, and was impressed by them.
“I went to see them. They are actually quite a good team as well,” Infantino said. “And they really want to play, and they should play. Sports should be outside of politics now.”
Infantino acknowledged that it’s not always possible to separate sports from politics. “OK, we don’t live on the moon, we live on planet Earth,” Infantino said. “But you know, if there is nobody else that believes in building bridges and in keeping them, you know, intact and together, well, we are doing that job.”
U.S. President Donald Trump discouraged the Iranian team from attending the tournament, citing safety concerns.
The U.S. will co-host the World Cup with Canada and Mexico. Iran is scheduled to play two group-stage matches in Inglewood, California, and one in Seattle.
Despite these assurances, Iran’s participation remains in question due to the ongoing war and tensions involving the U.S. and Iran.
In recent weeks, conflicting statements from Iranian officials have fueled uncertainty, while on Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump raised safety concerns and discouraged the Iranian team from attending the tournament.
