• FOOTBALL

• Frank Rotich 3 days ago

FIFA insists Iran will play World Cup matches in USA

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has confirmed that Iran will play its 2026 World Cup matches in the United States, despite rising political tensions and uncertainty surrounding the tournament.

Speaking during the FIFA Congress in Vancouver, Infantino made it clear that Iran’s participation will go ahead as planned. He stressed that football must bring people together, even in difficult times.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be jointly hosted by United States, Canada and Mexico, and will feature an expanded format of 48 teams. This means teams will have to travel across different countries, raising concerns about visas and diplomatic relations.

Iran has already qualified for the tournament, but its involvement has been under question due to the ongoing conflict involving the United States and Israel. Iranian officials had requested to play their matches outside the US, but FIFA rejected that request.

Infantino insisted that Iran will still play in the US, saying unity is key in global football.

Meanwhile, Iran’s delegation missed the FIFA Congress after being denied entry into Toronto. Iranian authorities described the incident as unacceptable, although Canadian officials said entry decisions were based on strict immigration rules, especially for individuals linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

The situation has added to growing political tension ahead of the World Cup, with protests also seen outside the congress venue.

Despite the challenges, FIFA remains firm that the tournament schedule will not change, and Iran will compete like all other qualified teams.

The 2026 World Cup is expected to be one of the biggest in history, but off-field issues could still play a major role as the event approaches.