Trump Assures Iran of Participation in 2026 World Cup Amid War Concerns

T The President of the United States, Donald Trump, has assured global football authorities that Iran will be allowed to participate in the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup despite growing geopolitical tensions and ongoing conflict involving the country.

The assurance was disclosed by Gianni Infantino, president of FIFA, who said he met with Trump on Tuesday night to review preparations for the global football tournament.

Iran has already qualified for the 48-nation competition and is scheduled to begin its campaign on June 15 in Inglewood, California, where it will face New Zealand. The team is also slated to play Belgium on June 21 before concluding its group-stage matches against Egypt in Seattle on June 26.

The tournament, which will run from June 11 to July 19, will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Concerns over Iran’s participation had recently surfaced after Iranian officials hinted that the country’s involvement could be uncertain due to the ongoing war and diplomatic tensions.

However, Infantino said Trump gave a clear assurance that the Iranian national team would be permitted to compete in the tournament.

“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,” Infantino wrote in a post on Instagram. “During the discussions, President Trump reiterated that the Iranian team is, of course, welcome to compete in the tournament in the United States.”

Infantino, who has maintained a close working relationship with Trump, noted that the meeting focused largely on preparations for the historic tournament, which will feature an expanded format of 48 teams for the first time.

The FIFA chief also emphasized the unifying power of football, particularly at a time of global tension.

“We all need an event like the FIFA World Cup to bring people together now more than ever,” Infantino said, expressing appreciation to Trump for his support for the tournament.

The development comes amid broader debates surrounding U.S. travel policies after fans from Iran were previously affected by earlier travel restrictions introduced during the Trump administration.