Infantino says Trump will welcome Iran at 2026 FIFA World Cup

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has moved to calm concerns over Iran’s place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after holding talks with US president Donald Trump on tournament preparations.The reassurance comes as Iran’s participation has become a political flashpoint, given the US is a co-host and entry permissions ultimately sit with the host government.Infantino referenced the issue publicly after a meeting with Trump, positioning the World Cup as an event that must proceed with all qualified teams.Infantino said: “During the discussions, President Trump reiterated that the Iranian team is, of course, welcome to compete in the tournament in the United States.“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."The statement follows questions raised in recent days after Iran was not represented at a FIFA planning summit in Atlanta, with Iranian officials publicly linking their absence to the wider geopolitical situation.Iran have already qualified for the 2026 finals, making them one of the earliest teams to book a place through Asian qualifying.The draw has placed Iran in a group that includes Belgium, Egypt and New Zealand, with matches scheduled in the United States.The episode underlines FIFA’s operational exposure to border and visa policy for a tournament spread across the United States, Mexico and Canada, and the sensitivity around participation from countries in conflict with a host nation.FIFA’s hosting rules typically require guaranteed access for teams, officials and accredited personnel, making any restrictions a material governance and delivery risk.Trump has previously played down the issue in public comments, but Infantino’s message was aimed at providing clarity for Iran, commercial partners and organisers as planning accelerates.Iran’s federation leadership has also floated the possibility of not travelling, which would create sporting and regulatory complications given qualification obligations under FIFA regulations.The 2026 tournament begins on June 11 and is the first men’s World Cup staged across three host countries, with expanded participation and a heavier logistics burden for organisers and security agencies.