Infantino says Trump welcomes Iran's World Cup participation

FIFA President Gianni Infantino said on Wednesday that he met with United States President Donald Trump, who told him he welcomed Iran’s participation in the 2026 Soccer World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the U.S., Mexico and Canada.

Iran was the only nation missing from a FIFA planning summit for World Cup participants held last week in Atlanta, deepening questions over whether the country's soccer team will compete on U.S. soil this summer amid an escalating regional war.

Trump told Politico earlier that he is not concerned about Iran's participation, as they were a "very badly defeated country".

"We also spoke about the current situation in Iran, and the fact that the Iranian team has qualified to participate in the FIFA World Cup 2026," soccer's world governing body, FIFA, boss Infantino said in a post on his official social media account.

"During the discussions, President Trump reiterated that the Iranian team is, of course, welcome to compete in the tournament in the United States.

"We all need an event like the FIFA World Cup to bring people together now more than ever, and I sincerely thank the President of the United States for his support, as it shows once again that Football Unites the World."

Iran secured a trip to a fourth successive World Cup by topping Group A in the third round of Asian qualifying last year, but Mehdi Taj, president of the Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran, said the viciousness of the attacks by U.S. and Israeli forces did not augur well for the World Cup, to be held from June 11 to July 19.

The Iranians were grouped with Belgium, Egypt and New Zealand in Group G. Their matches are scheduled to take place in the U.S., two in Los Angeles and one in Seattle.

If both the U.S. and Iran finish second in their respective groups, the two countries could meet in a July 3 elimination match in Dallas.