FIFA President Gianni Infantino has confirmed that Iran will participate in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with its matches set to be played in the United States as originally scheduled.
Speaking on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, during halftime of a friendly match between Iran and Costa Rica in Antalya, Infantino told AFP: “Iran will be at the World Cup. That’s why we’re here. We’re delighted because they’re a very, very strong team. I’m very happy.”
He emphasized that Iran’s fixtures would proceed according to the official draw: “We want them to play; they are going to play in the World Cup. There are no Plans B or C or D; Plan A is the only plan.”
Iran are scheduled to open their Group G campaign against New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15, before facing Belgium in the same city on June 21. Their final group match will be against Egypt in Seattle on June 27.
The 2026 tournament, co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, is set to kick off on June 11.
Iran’s participation had been uncertain following escalating tensions in late February, when the United States and Israel launched joint military operations against Iran.
The conflict reportedly resulted in the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, in airstrikes on Tehran, triggering retaliatory missile and drone attacks targeting Israel, U.S. bases in the region, and Gulf nations.
Iran’s football federation had previously explored relocating its matches to Mexico over safety concerns. Federation president Mehdi Taj stated: “When Trump has explicitly said he cannot ensure the security of the Iranian national team, we will certainly not travel to America.”
However, vice president Mahdi Mohammadnabi reaffirmed the federation’s commitment to FIFA’s authority: “For us, what matters most are FIFA’s rules and regulations. We will comply with whatever FIFA decides. Every host country has made commitments to FIFA and must honour them.”
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has also confirmed that it has not received any formal notification of Iran’s withdrawal.
Iran were the first Asian nation to qualify for the tournament, securing their place on March 25, 2025.
