FIFA President Gianni Infantino has asserted that Iran will indeed compete in the 2026 World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by the USA, Canada, and Mexico. This statement effectively closes the door on any possibility of Italy being recalled to the tournament.
Significant questions had been raised regarding Iran’s potential participation in this summer’s competition, particularly given the current geopolitical tensions involving the USA and Israel. The situation is further complicated by Iran being drawn into a group with matches scheduled to take place in the United States.
Iran was the sole nation absent from the recent FIFA congress held in Vancouver. During this event, Infantino took the opportunity to address the matter directly.
Infantino Dismisses Italy’s Recall Prospects
“Of course, Iran will play in the United States of America. The reason for that is simple: we have to unite. We have to bring people together,” stated Infantino.
Had Iran withdrawn or been disqualified from the tournament, FIFA would have needed to identify a replacement. Italy, as the highest-ranked nation that failed to qualify, was considered a strong candidate for such a scenario.
This potential replacement was reportedly championed by Paolo Zampolli, the special envoy of Donald Trump and an Italian-American, who had recently suggested Italy had “more than a 50 percent chance” of being reinstated.
However, many figures within Italian football have indicated a preference against joining the tournament under such circumstances.
The 2026 World Cup is scheduled to commence on June 11. Iran’s initial matches are set to be against New Zealand and Belgium in Los Angeles on June 15 and 21, respectively, followed by a game against Egypt in Seattle on June 26.