Reports in the media indicate that the Iranian national team is preparing to compete in the 2026 World Cup, scheduled to be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico. This willingness comes despite recent statements made by Iranian Sports Minister, Ahmad Deniyamali, in which he indicated the possibility of his country not participating in the tournament.
On Wednesday, Dunyamali said that the participation of the Iranian national team may be difficult in light of the current conditions.
A few hours before the minister’s statement, FIFA President Gianni Infantino explained that he had received confirmation from US President Donald Trump that Iran “is welcome to participate in the tournament in the United States.”
It should be noted that the Iranian national team has qualified for the World Cup for the fourth time in a row, after topping Group A in the third stage of the Asian qualifiers last year.
The “BeIN Sports” network published, through its official account on the “X” platform, news saying: “Mehr News Agency confirms the participation of the Iranian national team in the 2026 World Cup, provided that security guarantees are provided by FIFA and the host country for the team, so that team members will be able to participate in training and official matches under the supervision of FIFA without any problem.”
It is noteworthy that the draw placed Iran in Group Seven alongside Belgium, Egypt and New Zealand, with its three matches being held in the United States, with two matches in Los Angeles and one match in Seattle. If the United States and Iran finish second in their groups, the two teams will likely meet in a knockout playoff on July 3 in Dallas.
