President Donald Trump has publicly given his approval for Iran to take part in the upcoming 2026 World Cup on American soil, summing it up in a simple remark: "Let them play." The question of whether Iran would be allowed to compete has been clouded by geopolitical tension ever since the United States and Israel carried out air strikes against Iranian targets on February 28. Throughout the controversy, FIFA president Gianni Infantino has repeatedly stressed that Iran’s schedule will proceed as planned, with all three group‑stage fixtures slated to be held in the United States. He reiterated this position during the FIFA Congress held on Thursday in Vancouver. When reporters later asked Trump to comment on Infantino’s assurances, the president responded with a casual, "Well if Gianni said it, I'm OK." He added a chuckle, "Did Gianni say it?
Gianni Infantino – that’s a piece of work." When pressed about the scenario in which Iran might actually win its matches, Trump answered, "If they win we’ll have to worry about that. I’m going to have to worry about that one.
You know what, let them play. Gianni is fantastic, he’s a friend of mine, he talked about it, I said, ‘you do whatever you want.’" He went on to question the quality of Iran’s team, admitting, "You can have them, you don’t have to have them, they probably have a good team. Do they have a good team, do you have any idea?" The reporter who asked the original question confessed he did not. Trump concluded, "It would be hard to believe actually.
But let them play, right?" According to the tournament draw, Iran could meet the United States in the round of 32 in Dallas if both nations finish second in their respective groups. This prospect has added another layer of political intrigue, especially because Trump has previously described it as "inappropriate" for Iran to compete "for their own life and safety." At the Vancouver congress, Infantino opened his address by stating unequivocally, "Let me start at the outset by confirming straight away, for those who maybe want to say something else or write something else, that of course Iran will be participating at the FIFA World Cup 2026. And of course, Iran will play in the United States of America.
The reason for that is simple, because we have to unite. We have to bring people together." Iran’s first match is scheduled for June 15 in Los Angeles, where they will face New Zealand. Interestingly, Iran was the only one of FIFA’s 211 member associations that did not have any federation officials present in Vancouver. The congress also highlighted tensions between the Palestinian Football Association (PFA) and the Israeli Football Association.
PFA president Jibril Rajoub refused to stand next to Israel FA vice‑president Basim Sheikh Suliman when Infantino called both men to the podium. Infantino attempted to bridge the divide by placing his hand on Rajoub’s arm and inviting him to come closer, but Rajoub declined. Palestinian FA vice‑president Susan Shalabi, who was in the room, later told Reuters, "I cannot shake the hand of someone the Israelis have brought to whitewash their fascism and genocide!
We are suffering." Israel, for its part, has denied any accusations of genocide in Gaza. Infantino tried to smooth over the incident by saying, "We will work together, president Rajoub, vice‑president Suliman. Let’s work together to give hope to the children. These are complex matters." Shalabi criticized the gesture, arguing that forcing a handshake after Rajoub’s impassioned speech about the rights of Palestinian clubs undermined the very point of his remarks.
She said, "He spent like 15 minutes trying to explain to everyone how the rules matter, how this could easily become a precedent where the rights of member associations are violated with impudence, and then we’ll just wrap this under the carpet. It was absurd." The PFA has recently appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, challenging FIFA’s decision not to sanction Israel over clubs based in West Bank settlements.
The Palestinian side maintains that teams operating out of those settlements—land Palestinians envision for a future state—should not be allowed to compete in leagues overseen by the Israel Football Association. FIFA’s response last month was to cite the unresolved legal status of the West Bank under international law and to refrain from taking any punitive action. Looking ahead, FIFA members will be invited to vote for the organization’s next president at the 2027 congress.
Infantino used his closing remarks to announce his intention to run for another term. Given his dominant support among federations outside Europe, his re‑election is widely seen as a formality. If he secures a third full four‑year term, Infantino will remain at the helm until 2031, overseeing the centenary 2030 World Cup that will be co‑hosted by Spain, Portugal and Morocco. By the end of that period, he will have served as FIFA president for 15 years—just two years shy of the tenure of his predecessor, Sepp Blatter.
Infantino first won the presidency in 2016, a term that was supposed to be his final one. However, FIFA amended its statutes so that only full terms count toward the three‑term limit, effectively resetting the clock for him. He was re‑elected unopposed in 2019 after the rules were changed to eliminate the need for a vote, and again in 2023 under similar circumstances.
Although the statutes technically require a vote from all 211 member associations, Infantino’s popularity with non‑European federations has turned the process into a near‑ceremonial endorsement. During his speech, Infantino highlighted several financial achievements under his leadership. He pointed to a development fund of $2.7 billion (£2 billion) earmarked for the 2027‑2030 cycle—a figure eight times larger than the budget before his tenure. He also noted that revenue for the current 2022‑2026 cycle is projected to exceed $14 billion (£10.3 billion), driven largely by the ticket sales for this summer’s World Cup.
While the organization has faced criticism over the introduction of dynamic pricing and the high cost of tickets, Infantino defended the model, stating that 500 million ticket requests have been received, far surpassing the 50 million requests across the last two World Cups combined. He claimed that 100 percent of the inventory placed on the market—about 90 percent of the global supply—has been sold, with a mix of premium and affordable options available. Infantino emphasized that all revenue generated is reinvested back into the sport through distributions to member associations and the development of existing and new competitions. He said, "In a big majority of our countries, we could not have organised football the way we know it without the grants and the revenues and the FIFA Forward programme." The congress concluded with a reminder that fans can still participate in promotional activities, such as the Super 6 competition offering a chance to win £250,000, which remains free to enter.