United States president Donald Trump has given assurances to FIFA that Iran will be welcome to participate at this summer’s World Cup in North America, according to FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
Infantino said that football’s world governing body had sought clarity from the host nation’s government regarding entry for all qualified teams, including Iran. With the United States serving as a principal host of the tournament, along with Canada and Mexico, questions had arisen over whether existing political tensions or travel restrictions might affect Iran’s ability to enter the country for World Cup matches or preparations.
According to Infantino, the U.S. president communicated that Iran would be allowed to take part in the competition and that the team, its officials, and its supporters would be granted the necessary access to attend World Cup events held on American soil. Infantino framed the assurances as part of FIFA’s broader requirement that all host nations guarantee non-discriminatory access to all qualified teams.
FIFA’s statutes and bidding requirements place significant emphasis on the principle that football should remain open to all member associations that qualify on sporting merit, regardless of political relations between governments. As a result, ahead of every tournament, the governing body typically works with host nations to secure commitments that players, team staff, match officials, media, and supporters from all participating countries can enter and move freely for World Cup-related activities.
Infantino’s comments underscore FIFA’s ongoing efforts to separate political disputes from access to its flagship competition. While details of the discussions between FIFA and U.S. authorities have not been fully disclosed, the assurance that Iran is welcome addresses concerns that off-field tensions might disrupt on-field participation.
The World Cup, which will be staged across multiple cities, is expected to feature an expanded field of national teams compared to previous editions. FIFA has repeatedly highlighted inclusivity and global representation as central themes of the tournament, and confirmation that Iran can take part aligns with that message. Infantino’s statement indicates that, from FIFA’s perspective, all qualified teams, including Iran, will be able to compete under the same conditions at this summer’s event.
