FIFA president Gianni Infantino has said Iran will take part in the 2026 World Cup and play their group matches in the United States as planned. He made the remarks in Turkey during Iran’s warmup schedule, as questions continued around whether the team’s games might be moved because of the wider conflict involving Iran, the United States, and Israel.
Infantino’s message was clear. He said Iran would be at the World Cup and that their matches would be played where the draw placed them. AP also reported that he described the situation as having only one plan, with no alternative schedule being pursued.
FIFA moves to shut down relocation talk
The statement matters because Iran’s participation had come under fresh scrutiny in recent weeks. Reuters reported that Iran had been seeking to move its group-stage matches from the United States to Mexico, while Mexican president Claudia Sheinbaum had said Mexico was prepared to host those games if needed.
Infantino’s intervention now gives FIFA’s strongest public position yet on the issue. In effect, the governing body is trying to close off uncertainty around venue planning before the tournament begins on June 11. That is an inference based on his public remarks and FIFA’s repeated insistence that the tournament proceed as scheduled with all qualified teams involved.
Iran’s schedule remains unchanged
Under the current draw, Iran are set to open against New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15, then face Belgium in Los Angeles on June 21, before playing Egypt in Seattle on June 27.
That is why this story sits firmly in the governance lane rather than the match lane. Nothing changed on the pitch here. What changed was the level of public certainty from FIFA about where Iran will play and how the tournament intends to handle a politically sensitive situation. This is an inference based on the substance of Infantino’s comments and the focus of current reporting.
Why the pressure does not disappear
Even with Infantino’s assurance, this does not erase the wider tension around the issue. Reuters reported earlier that Iran had imposed restrictions on sports travel to countries it considers hostile, which helped drive doubts around tournament logistics in the first place.
So the practical message from FIFA is stability, but the wider backdrop is still fragile. For now, though, the official line is firm: Iran stay in the tournament, and the schedule stays in place.
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