World Cup | FIFA: Iran team will compete in the United States as scheduled

FIFA president Gianni Infantino said that despite ongoing conflict between Iran and the United States, the joint host country for this World Cup, Iran’s national team will still take part in the World Cup in the United States as planned in June.

This FIFA World Cup will be held in the United States, Mexico, and Canada from June 11 to July 19. The United States and Israel launched a war against Iran at the end of February, and the conflict has entered its fifth week.

The Iranian Football Federation (FFIRI) has long insisted that Iran’s three World Cup group-stage matches be moved from the United States to Mexico, citing military actions involving the United States and Israel that have contributed to the current war in the Middle East. Earlier this month, the Iranian Football Federation said it was in talks with FIFA about changing the match venues. Iran’s Ministry of Sports has ordered that, until further notice, national teams and sports clubs are banned from traveling to countries it considers hostile.

However, when asked about the possibility of changing venues, Infantino said the matches would be held at the originally scheduled locations according to the results of the draw; and he said that Iran’s team is an extremely, extremely strong team.

Iran’s team qualified for this World Cup in March of last year. It was scheduled to play all three matches in Group G in the United States, including two in Los Angeles and one in Seattle, against Belgium, Egypt, and New Zealand, respectively.