President of the United States Donald Trump has given his consent for Iran to participate in the 2026 FIFA World Cup despite friction between the two countries.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino announced that Iran will play their World Cup matches in the US after talks with various stakeholders aimed at uniting the world.

During a press briefing, Trump was asked about Infantino’s comments. He stated that once Infantino had made such a remark, he had no problem with it.

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The US president indicated that Infantino is a good person with whom he has built a strong relationship, and therefore he would not oppose him. However, he questioned whether Iran has a good team capable of competing for the title.

“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.’ You can have them, you don’t have to have them. Do they have a good team, do you have any idea? It would be hard to believe actually. But let them play,” he told reporters.

This comes amid rumors suggesting Iran could be compelled to boycott the tournament due to strained relations with US President Donald Trump amid the ongoing war, which is currently on hold following a ceasefire deal.

The World Cup, which runs from June 11 through July 19, 2026, will be hosted by the US, Canada, and Mexico. Iran is scheduled to play New Zealand in Inglewood, California, on June 15 and Belgium on June 21, before traveling to Seattle for a June 26 matchup against Egypt.

SB/AM

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