Despite Iran’s Sports Minister declaring that the country cannot participate in the World Cup due to the war with the United States, and President Donald Trump expressing concern for the “life and safety” of players, FIFA President Gianni Infantino is confident that Iran will play in the tournament in June in North America.
“We hope that by then, of course, the situation will be peaceful, which would certainly help,” Infantino told broadcaster CNBC. “But Iran needs to come, obviously. They represent their people. They qualified. The players want to play.”
Infantino said he was recently in Antalya, Turkey, to visit the Iranian team at their training center and said the team wants to participate in the World Cup.
“They should play, sport should be outside of politics,” Infantino said. “Now, okay, we don’t live on the Moon, we live on planet Earth, but if there’s no one else who believes in building bridges and keeping them intact and together, then we’re doing it.”
Iran, one of the first teams to qualify for the World Cup, has games scheduled for the group stage in the United States.
The country is scheduled to open against New Zealand on June 15 and then face Belgium on June 21, both matches in Los Angeles. On June 26, Iran has a game scheduled against Egypt in Seattle. If Iran advances, the rest of its games will also be held in the United States.
Iran asked FIFA to move its games to Mexico, which is hosting matches alongside the United States and Canada, but the request was denied.
No national team has withdrawn from a World Cup since 1950, the first tournament held after World War II.
