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FIFA World Cup 2026

FIFA needs to provide safety guarantees for Iran at 2026 FIFA World Cup — minister

The Iranian football federation earlier voiced approval that the national team’s training base was relocated from the United States to Mexico

TEHRAN, May 25. /TASS/. The world’s governing football body, FIFA, must ensure safe conditions for the Iranian national team at this summer’s FIFA World Cup in North America, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmail Baghaei said on Monday.

"FIFA must ensure suitable conditions for Iran's unhindered participation in the World Cup," Iran’s state television and radio broadcaster quoted Baghaei as saying.

FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom announced that on May 17, representatives of FIFA and the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran (FFIRI) held a productive meeting in Turkey, giving FIFA confidence that the Iranian national team would indeed take part in the upcoming World Cup.

Earlier this month, the Iranian football federation voiced approval that the national team’s training base was relocated from the United States to Mexico.

History of Iran’s participation in 2026 FIFA World Cup

On April 22, Iranian Sports Minister Ahmad Donyamali stated that the Iranian national football team might still participate in the 2026 FIFA World Cup if the safety of the team was ensured, however, no final decision was made at that time.

Minister Donyamali stated on March 11 that Iran would skip the 2026 FIFA World Cup. However, on March 16, the Secretary General of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), Windsor John, announced that the Iranian side hadn't officially refused to participate in the upcoming World Championship.

On March 17, President of the Iranian Football Federation Mehdi Taj announced that the country’s football body was in talks with FIFA on relocating the team's matches at the 2026 World Cup from the United States to Mexico. FIFA President Gianni Infantino said in turn that the world’s governing body of football will do everything in its power to accommodate the Iranian national team at the upcoming global football championship.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be co-hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States between June 11 and July 19. The matches will be staged in 16 cities across the three countries. This will be the first FIFA World Cup featuring 48 teams instead of the previous 32-team format.

The Iranian football team qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and, following the draw, was placed in Group G alongside Belgium, Egypt and New Zealand. Iran was scheduled to play all of its three group stage matches in the United States.

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