TEHRAN: Iran has officially confirmed its participation in the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026 to be held in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, despite earlier political tensions surrounding the tournament.
According to the Iranian Ministry of Sports, the national football team is fully prepared to take part in the global event, which is scheduled to begin on June 11.
Government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani also confirmed that all necessary arrangements for participation have been completed.
The announcement comes after comments from FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who had previously stated that Iran would be part of the tournament.
Iran has already qualified for the World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The team’s matches are currently scheduled to be played in the United States.
Under the group stage fixtures, Iran is set to face New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15, followed by matches against Belgium on June 21 and Egypt on June 27.
Earlier reports suggested that the Iranian Football Federation had considered requesting FIFA to relocate its matches to Mexico due to ongoing geopolitical tensions involving the United States and Israel. However, no final decision on venue changes has been confirmed.
The participation had also drawn political commentary, including from U.S. President Donald Trump, who earlier suggested Iran’s participation in the U.S. might be inappropriate under current conditions. Iran, however, maintained that no country could exclude its national team from the tournament.
Despite tensions, both sporting authorities and political figures have now indicated that Iran will take part in the global football event as planned.