The presence of the Iran national team at the 2026 FIFA World Cup has become one of the most sensitive topics ahead of the start of the tournament. With just 57 days to go before the competition begins in the United States, Canada and Mexico, the escalation of the conflict between Iran and the United States has raised doubts about whether the Asian team will be able to play its scheduled matches on American soil.

Despite that scenario, FIFA president Gianni Infantino was emphatic in stating that Iran “will definitely come” to the tournament. He explained that he hopes the political and military context will be more stable by then, but insisted that the Iranian team must be present because it already earned qualification on the field and because its players want to compete. For Infantino, football must remain a space for unity even amid international tensions.

Political conflict puts pressure on the World Cup

Uncertainty over Iran’s participation increased after sports and political authorities in the country publicly expressed their opposition to competing in the United States. Iran’s sports minister went as far as to say that, following recent events between the two countries, there were no conditions for taking part in the tournament. These comments were followed by remarks from U.S. President Donald Trump, who said that the Iranian team would be welcome, although he also questioned whether their presence would be appropriate for security reasons.

Despite these tensions, Infantino insisted that FIFA remains committed to keeping sport separate from politics. He recalled that he recently visited the Iranian national team during a training camp in Antalya, where he was able to see firsthand the squad’s desire to participate in the World Cup. According to him, FIFA has the responsibility to build bridges between countries and cultures, especially in a global tournament that brings together teams from every continent.

Security and organizational challenges ahead of 2026

Iran is scheduled to play all three of its group stage matches in the United States. The team will open against New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15, return to the same city to face Belgium on June 21, and conclude its initial participation against Egypt in Seattle on June 26. The Iranian federation had requested that those matches be moved to Mexico, but FIFA rejected the request and kept the original schedule.

Beyond the Iranian case, security has emerged as one of the biggest concerns ahead of the 2026 World Cup. The tournament is expected to welcome millions of international fans and has already registered a record demand for tickets, with more than 500 million requests. For Infantino, the success of the World Cup will not depend only on the quality of football or its economic impact, but also on the ability to organize a safe event, free of incidents and capable of bringing together people from FIFA’s 211 member nations around the game.