Former U.S. President Donald Trump has publicly voiced his approval for Iran’s participation in the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be held on American soil this summer.
In a brief remark during a press briefing, Trump summed up his stance with the simple phrase, “Let them play.” The question of whether Iran will be allowed to compete has lingered since late February, when the United States and Israel carried out air strikes against Iranian targets. Those military actions raised doubts about the feasibility of Iranian teams traveling to the United States for the tournament. Despite the geopolitical tension, FIFA President Gianni Infantino has repeatedly affirmed that Iran’s national side will be present as scheduled, with all three group‑stage matches slated to take place in the United States. Infantino reiterated this assurance at the FIFA Congress in Vancouver on Thursday, emphasizing the organization’s commitment to inclusivity and the principle that sport should rise above politics.
When journalists later asked Trump to comment on Infantino’s statements, the former president replied, “Well if Gianni said it, I’m OK. Did Gianni say it? Gianni Infantino – that’s a piece of work.” He went on to say that if Iran were to win any of its games, “we’ll have to worry about that. I’m going to have to worry about that one,” before concluding, “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.’” Trump added a note of uncertainty about the Iranian squad’s quality, asking the reporter, “Do they have a good team? Do you have any idea?” The reporter admitted he did not, prompting Trump to remark, “It would be hard to believe actually. But let them play, right?” Under the current draw, Iran could potentially meet the United States in the round of 32 in Dallas if both nations finish second in their respective groups.
This possible matchup has sparked additional speculation, especially given Trump’s earlier comment that it would be “inappropriate” for Iran to play for the sake of its own safety and survival. Infantino opened his address to the congress by stating, “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.” He highlighted the tournament’s kickoff for Iran, which is scheduled against New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15. While Iran’s national team will be on the field, the country’s football federation was notably absent from the gathering in Vancouver.
It was the only one of FIFA’s 211 member associations not represented by officials at the congress. The event also featured a tense moment involving the Palestinian Football Association (PFA) president Jibril Rajoub and the Israeli Football Association (IFA) vice‑president Basim Sheikh Suliman. Infantino called both men to the stage, encouraging them to stand together, but Rajoub declined to come closer to Suliman. Infantino placed his hand on Rajoub’s arm in an attempt to bridge the gap, but the gesture was rebuffed.
When asked about Rajoub’s refusal, Palestinian FA vice‑president Susan Shalabi, who was present, told Reuters, “I cannot shake the hand of someone the Israelis have brought to whitewash their fascism and genocide! We are suffering.” She added that Israel has denied accusations of genocide in Gaza.
Infantino later tried to smooth over the incident, 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 Infantino’s attempt, arguing that forcing a handshake after such a charged speech undermined the very point of Rajoub’s remarks, which called for Israeli clubs to cease operating in West Bank settlements.
She explained, “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 (CAS) over FIFA’s decision not to sanction Israel for allowing clubs based in West Bank settlements to compete in Israeli leagues.
The Palestinian side argues that these settlements—land claimed by Palestinians for a future state—should not be permitted to take part in competitions overseen by the IFA. FIFA, citing the unresolved legal status of the West Bank under international law, declined to act against the Israeli federation last month. Looking ahead, FIFA members will be invited to vote on the organization’s next president at the 2027 congress.
Infantino closed the Vancouver meeting by announcing his intention to run for another term. Given his overwhelming support among federations outside Europe, his re‑election is widely seen as a formality. If he secures a third full four‑year term, Infantino would remain at the helm until 2031, overseeing the centennial 2030 World Cup, which will be co‑hosted by Spain, Portugal, and Morocco.
A third term would also mean Infantino would have served as FIFA president for 15 years—just two years fewer than his predecessor, Sepp Blatter. Infantino first won the presidency in 2016 and was expected to step down after his second term. However, FIFA amended its statutes so that only full terms count toward the three‑term limit, effectively resetting the clock for Infantino. He was re‑elected unopposed in 2019 and again in 2023, both times without a formal vote because no other candidates emerged.
During his address, Infantino highlighted several achievements of the organization over the past decade. He cited a development fund of $2.7 billion (approximately £2 billion) earmarked for the 2027‑2030 cycle—a figure eight times larger than the budget before his tenure. He also projected revenue for the current 2022‑2026 cycle to exceed $14 billion (£10.3 billion), largely driven by the commercial success of this summer’s World Cup finals. Ticket pricing for the tournament has been a contentious issue, with critics arguing that dynamic pricing favors wealthier fans.
Infantino responded, “You’ve heard there were many discussions about the ticketing of the World Cup. We had 500 million ticket requests. In the last two World Cups together, we had 50 million ticket requests. Here, 500 million.
We sold 100 percent of the inventory that we put on the market, which is more or less 90 percent of the global inventory so far. And of course, we are always putting tickets on the market.
There are expensive tickets, yes, but there are also affordable tickets.” He emphasized that all revenue generated is reinvested back into the sport through distributions to member associations and the development of existing and new competitions. “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,” he said. In summary, Trump’s brief endorsement of Iran’s participation reflects a broader diplomatic backdrop in which FIFA strives to keep the beautiful game insulated from political disputes. While the former president’s comments were light‑hearted, they underscore the complexities of staging a global tournament amid ongoing regional tensions.
Meanwhile, Infantino’s continued leadership appears secure, and his focus remains on expanding football’s reach, financing development projects, and ensuring that the sport’s revenue benefits its worldwide community.