Gianni Infantino says Donald Trump would welcome Iran at the World Cup, but a shocking obstacle could still keep the team from playing

The FIFA World Cup 2026 is just around the corner, but some issues are looming over the competition. Iran’s participation in the tournament is one of the highlight problems due to the ongoing war with the USA. Initially, it seemed like Iran might not participate in the World Cup as Trump might not like the idea of the country playing on American soil. But Gianni Infantino has hinted at the opposite, as the President of America has changed his stance on the matter.​

As per Al Jazeera, Infantino has said he discussed the matter with the President of the United States, who welcomed the idea of including the Persian nation in the World Cup. He reported that Donald Trump has emphasized that he would love to have Iran in the World Cup, which is being hosted by America, Canada, and Mexico. Infantino insisted that the world needs a competition to bring everyone closer, and that, for that reason, Iran should be part of the World Cup.

His exact words were, “During the discussions, President Trump reiterated that the Iranian team is, of course, welcome to compete in the tournament in the United States. We all need an event like the FIFA World Cup to ?bring people together now more than ever, and I ?sincerely thank the President of the United States for his support, as it shows once again that Football Unites the World.”

Trump’s take on Iran in the World Cup is softening up after that first harsh vibe

President Trump might have given the green light for Iran to play in the tournament, but he apparently was not a fan of the Iranian team making it to the World Cup. Donald Trump declared that he has no interest in watching Iran at the FIFA World Cup in the United States. He made this statement in the context of the ongoing conflict between the USA and Iran, and even mocked Iran for being a “Defeated Country,” hinting at the destruction Iran took during this conflict.

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​Even though FIFA has given the green light for the Iranian national team to play in the World Cup, the final decision rests with the Iranian Football Federation. Mehdi Taj, the president of Iran’s football federation, previously spoke on the matter, declaring that the ongoing attacks on Iran left no room for the Iranian Football team to come to the game.

Additionally, amid ongoing conflicts, travel restrictions, and visa issues, Iranian players and their coach, Graham Arnold, have been stranded in their current locations. Regardless, Trump’s flexible approach could encourage the Iranian team to participate in the World Cup, but the ongoing tensions still poses risk of their absence.