Idman.biz
FIFA President Gianni Infantino met with US President Donald Trump to discuss the upcoming World Cup. One of the main topics of the meeting was the participation of the Iranian national team in the tournament, which will be co-hosted by the US, Mexico, and Canada.
Idman.Biz reports that Infantino stated on his social media account that Trump said he would not create any obstacles to the Iranian team's participation in the tournament.
"During the discussions, President Trump reiterated that he welcomed the participation of the Iranian team in the competition to be held in the United States," the FIFA President emphasized.
All of Iran's group matches are scheduled to be held in the United States. Two matches are planned to take place in Los Angeles and one in Seattle.
However, Iranian Sports Minister Ahmad Donyamali announced immediately after Infantino's statement that the national team had officially withdrawn from participating in the 2026 World Cup.
Security concerns and strained relations with host nation US were cited as reasons for the decision. In his statement, the minister used strong language, revealing the political reasons for boycotting the tournament:
"There is no circumstance in which we can participate in the World Cup, as this corrupt government killed our leader."
It is worth noting that the head of the Iranian Football Federation, Mehdi Taj, also stated that the team's participation in the World Cup was questionable due to recent events. If Iran withdraws from the tournament, it would be the first such case in World Cup history since 1950.
