Infantino says Iran ‘will be at the World Cup’ despite war with United States
Iran held pictures of children killed in the US and Israel’s strikes on the country during the national anthem on Tuesday Photograph: Riza Ozel/AP Fifa president Gianni Infantino told AFP on Tuesday that Iran “will be at the World Cup” and will play their group matches in the United States as scheduled, despite the Middle East war . “Iran will be at the World Cup,” Infantino said at half-time of Iran’s friendly against Costa Rica in Turkey. “That’s why we’re here.
We’re delighted because they’re a very, very strong team, I’m very happy. ” Infantino, whose attendance at Tuesday’s game was unannounced, added: “I’ve seen the team, I’ve spoken to the players and the coach, so everything is fine. ” Related: Amnesty International warns Fifa World Cup risks becoming ‘stage for repression’ Infantino went on to stress that Iran’s “matches will be played where they are supposed to be, according to the draw”.
The Iranian football federation said earlier this month it was “negotiating” with Fifa to relocate the country’s World Cup matches from the United States to Mexico, due to the US and Israel’s war with Iran. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum also said that her country is prepared to host Iran’s first-round matches at the tournament if needed. Iran was among the first countries to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, having finished atop their group in the qualifying tournament for the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).
They have qualified for four consecutive men’s World Cups and six of the last eight tournaments overall. However, they have fallen short of the knockout round in each of the last three tournaments for which they qualified. In 2014 they finished bottom of a group featuring Argentina, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Nigeria.
They finished agonizingly close in each of the next two tournaments, finishing third in and being eliminated on the last day of group play in 2018 and 2022, when their final game came against the United States. The 2026 World Cup, being hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada, gets underway on 11 June, with Iran set to play their first Group G game against New Zealand in Los Angeles on 15 June, before facing Belgium on 21 June in Los Angeles and Egypt on 26 June in Seattle. Related: Do you live in a World Cup host city?