Infantino tries to convince Iran to play 2026 World Cup matches in the US
FIFA President Gianni Infantino is making efforts to resolve the disagreements between the US and Iran regarding the participation of the Iranian national team in the 2026 World Cup.
As reported by Report, this was stated by Politico.
Following the breakdown of peace talks between Washington and Tehran in Islamabad, the head of world football has intensified his own contacts with both sides. Infantino is trying to find a compromise between Iran, which does not want to play matches on US soil, and the American side, which has stated that it is indifferent to whether the team attends.
The Iranian national team was one of the first to secure a spot in the World Cup, which will be held in North America. However, since the start of US military actions against Iran a month ago, doubts about the national team's participation in the tournament have increasingly been raised in Tehran.
Iran's Minister of Sports has demanded that the matches scheduled in Los Angeles and Seattle be moved to venues in Mexico. FIFA rejected this request earlier this week.
According to an unnamed North American football official, Infantino faces two challenges: convincing US President Donald Trump to allow Iran to participate in matches on American soil and, at the same time, persuading the Iranian side to agree to such conditions.
It should be noted that the situation has become one of the most serious geopolitical challenges for the FIFA president, who in recent years has consistently built close ties with the American leadership. Sources indicate that this approach has elicited mixed reactions within the organization, including among FIFA's top management.
