Trump says Iran can play in the World Cup in the US after confirmation by FIFA | World Cup 2026 news

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has said Iran will play their World Cup match, prompting the US president to agree.

US President Donald Trump told reporters that “I’m fine” as Iran plays in the upcoming soccer World Cup, which will be held in North America in June and July.

The comments came FIFA President ⁠Gianni Infantino on Thursday said Iran will be there in the tournament and would play in the US.

“If Gianni says it, I’m fine,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.

“You know what? Let them play.”

Earlier on Thursday, Infantino began his speech to delegates at the 76th FIFA conference by repeating that Iran will play their World Cup in the US as planned.

Iran’s participation in this year’s World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the United States has been unclear since the outbreak of the US-Israel war against Iran in February.

“Let me start from the beginning, I confirm that Iran will take part in the 2026 FIFA World Cup,” Infantino said at a meeting of soccer officials in Vancouver.

“And of course, Iran will play (for) the United States of America.”

The Iranian officials decided to switch their group games from the United States to Mexico, but the idea had already been suggested by Infantino.

The debate over Iran’s participation in the World Cup started in the run-up to Thursday’s meeting.

Iran’s delegation was the only one absent from the 211-member assembly when Thursday’s meeting began after a standoff with Canadian border officials earlier this week.

Officials of the Iranian football federation (FFIRI) left Canada suddenly after landing in Toronto, abandoning their trip to Vancouver.

Iranian media reported that FFIRI President Mehdi Taj – a former member of the Tehran Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) – and two colleagues flew home after being “insulted” by Canadian immigration officials.

Canada, which designated the IRGC a “terrorist organization” in 2024, said on Wednesday that people linked to the group are “illegal.”

Iran, who are due to be in Tucson, Arizona, for the World Cup, will face New Zealand, Belgium and Egypt in Group G.

The Iranians open their World Cup campaign against New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15.