Gianni Infantino 'sure' Iran will compete at World Cup despite ongoing war with United States and Israel as FIFA president speaks out

Speaking at CNBC's Invest in America Forum, Infantino addressed the growing uncertainty surrounding Iran's place in the tournament. With the United States and Israel having launched airstrikes, and the U.S. serving as one of the primary host nations alongside Mexico and Canada, questions had been raised about whether the Iranian national team could safely compete on American soil.

"The Iranian team is coming for sure, yes," Infantino said during the forum, per CBS. "We hope that by then, of course, the situation will be a peaceful situation. As I said, that would definitely help. But Iran has to come. Of course, they represent their people. They have qualified. The players want to play."

The FIFA chief recently traveled to Antalya, Turkey, to meet with the Iranian squad in person, and he expressed his admiration for the quality of the team and their professionalism. He continues to push back against the idea that political conflicts should dictate who is allowed to participate in international football competitions. "I went to see them. They are actually quite a good team as well," Infantino added. "And they really want to play and they should play. Sports should be outside of politics now."

The situation has been further complicated by mixed messages from the White House. While initial reports suggested that Iranian players were welcome, President Donald Trump later expressed hesitation on social media. Writing on Truth Social, the president claimed that while the team is technically welcome, he doesn't "believe it is appropriate that they be there, for their own life and safety."

These comments sparked an immediate reaction from the Iranian Football Federation president, Mehdi Taj. Citing the lack of security guarantees, Taj suggested that the team might refuse to enter the United States entirely. "When [President] Trump has explicitly stated that he cannot ensure the security of the Iranian national team, we will certainly not travel to America," Taj stated last month.

In an attempt to bypass the security issues in the U.S., Iranian officials had lobbied to have their Group G fixtures moved to Mexico. However, Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum has confirmed that FIFA had "ultimately decided that the matches cannot be moved from their original venues". Sheinbaum noted that moving the games would require a "massive logistical effort" that the governing body was not willing to undertake.

As it stands, Iran remains scheduled to play all three of their group games in the United States. Two of those high-stakes encounters, against Belgium and New Zealand, are set for SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, with the third match against Egypt taking place in Seattle. Despite the pressure from both governments, FIFA's stance remains clear with the original schedule remains the priority.

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