Iran will be at World Cup and will play in the US, says FIFA boss Gianni Infantino

VANCOUVER – FIFA president Gianni Infantino insisted that Iran would play World Cup matches in the US, as the world football governing body’s congress opened on April 30 without the country’s delegation – its absence highlighting tensions and challenges surrounding the tournament.

“Let me start at the outset. Of course Iran will be participating at the FIFA World Cup 2026. And of course Iran will play in the United States of America,” said Infantino, who also flagged that he planned to seek re-election for a fourth term as FIFA president.

“And the reason for that is very simple, we have to unite. It is my responsibility, our responsibility.”

US President Donald Trump said he was “okay” with Iran playing at the World Cup.

“Well if Gianni said it, I’m okay. Did Gianni say it?... You know what? Let them play. Well, Gianni’s fantastic, he’s a friend of mine. He talked about it,” the 79-year-old told reporters on April 30.

“I said you do whatever you want.”

Iran have qualified for the June 11-July 19 tournament, but their participation has been fraught, with Tehran requesting alternative venues for matches on US soil.

FIFA has rejected the request, insisting the schedule would stand.

Iranian football federation president Mehdi Taj said Canadian officials cleared him to enter the country for the congress, but Iran’s delegation chose to turn back after being held for three hours and questioned at a Toronto airport, Iranian media reported on May 1.

Taj, a former member of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), said he was questioned by Canadian immigration about his ties to the group, but was ultimately allowed into the country for the pre-World Cup gathering in Vancouver.

The incident, which occurred on April 28, underscored the practical and political obstacles surrounding Iran’s participation at the World Cup, the most politically sensitive item on FIFA’s agenda since the US and Israel launched a war against Iran in February.

Canadian officials said entry decisions were made on a case-by-case basis and individuals linked to the IRGC, which Ottawa designates as a terrorist organisation, are inadmissible.

Iran’s absence deprived the congress of direct representation from a country whose presence at the 2026 World Cup is already shaping behind-the-scenes discussions, and the issue is particularly acute given the tournament’s cross-border nature.

The expanded 48-team World Cup, co-hosted by Canada, the US and Mexico, will require teams, officials and support staff to move repeatedly between jurisdictions, raising the prospect that visa restrictions or diplomatic frictions could complicate planning for certain nations.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said last week that Washington had no objections to Iranian players participating in ​the World Cup. But he added that the players would not be allowed to bring with them people with ties to the IRGC.

Outside the convention centre, about 30 protesters draped in Iranian flags and holding signs gathered to voice their desire to see regime change in Iran. The protesters chanted their support for Iranian opposition figure Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran’s last shah.

“IRGC is terrorists,” they chanted. “No deal with terrorists. Hey FIFA, oi FIFA, no deal with terrorists.”

Meanwhile, FIFA said on April 30 it will review its ticketing strategy for the 2030 World Cup following anger over skyrocketing prices for the 2026 Finals.

It has faced searing criticism over soaring ticket prices for the upcoming event, with fan organisation Football Supporters Europe branding the pricing structure “extortionate” and a “monumental betrayal” of fans. REUTERS, AFP