Iran Says It Is Fully Prepared for 2026 FIFA World Cup in United States, Canada, Mexico

Iran says its national football team is “fully prepared” for participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

“Iran says that the country’s institutions are fully prepared for its national football team’s participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico”

Al Jazeera

Government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani told state broadcaster IRIB that the Ministry of Youth and Sports “ensured all necessary arrangements for the team’s effective participation in the tournament.”

Al Jazeera

The announcement came as FIFA President Gianni Infantino said on April 16 that Iran is expected to participate, adding that the team has qualified and expressed willingness to compete despite the ongoing US-Israeli war on Iran.

Infantino also said, “Sports should be outside of politics,” framing the tournament as separate from the wider conflict.

The World Cup is scheduled to start on June 11 and run until July 19, and Iran’s participation has been a focal point because the United States is hosting the majority of games.

Iran’s government said preparations were made under the directive of the sport minister, with a focus on providing required facilities for a successful performance.

In parallel, US President Donald Trump said in March that while Iran’s team would be welcome, he questioned whether it would be appropriate for them to attend, citing concerns over their “life and safety.”

Iran’s readiness statement landed against a backdrop of uncertainty over where its matches would be played, with the team’s Group G schedule set in the United States.

Al Jazeera reported that Iran is scheduled to play its three Group G matches in the United States—two in Los Angeles and one in Seattle—with their base for the tournament in Tucson, Arizona.

An-Nahar

USA Today added that Iran is scheduled to play New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15, Belgium in Los Angeles on June 21 and Egypt in Seattle on June 26.

The same reporting said Iran’s participation had been thrown into doubt by the conflict launched by the United States and Israel on February 28.

Iran raised the prospect of a “boycott” and asked FIFA to move its matches from the United States to Mexico, but the request was rejected by the world governing body.

USA Today said Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum revealed earlier this month that FIFA rejected that request, and The Times of India quoted Sheinbaum saying, “FIFA ultimately decided that the matches cannot be moved from their original venues.”

Infantino’s stance was that Iran would still go ahead as scheduled, with USA Today quoting him: “The Iranian team is coming, for sure.”

The Times of India also described how Iran’s entire group-stage schedule is currently set there because the United States is hosting the majority of games, and it placed Iran in Group G alongside Belgium, Egypt and New Zealand.

The dispute over Iran’s participation has been shaped by direct statements from FIFA and the United States, alongside shifting signals from Iranian officials.

“Iran Signals Readiness for 2026 World Cup as US Envoy Urges FIFA to Replace Iran with Italy 23/04/2026 Share: 23/04/2026 Share: Share Story TEHRAN, Apr 23: Iran has announced it is fully prepared to participate in the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup, even as a senior Trump administration envoy asked FIFA to replace Iran with Italy in the upcoming 2026 World Cup, citing geopolitical tensions and safety concerns, according to the Financial Times”

Arab Times Kuwait News

Infantino told the Invest in America Forum that “The Iranian team is coming, for sure,” and he added, “But Iran has to come, they represent their people, they have qualified, the players want to play,” according to Al Jazeera.

Infantino also reiterated, “Sports should be outside of politics,” a line echoed in multiple reports about the tournament’s separation from geopolitics.

US President Donald Trump, however, questioned the appropriateness of Iran attending, with Al Jazeera saying he cited concerns over their “life and safety.”

USA Today reported that Trump said “I really don’t care” whether Iran participated and later warned that the team may not be safe if it does travel to the United States.

Within Iran, the government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani said the Ministry of Youth and Sports had ensured arrangements for the team’s effective participation, and TRT World quoted her saying, “The necessary arrangements have been made for the team’s successful participation.”

The Times of India added that Iran’s Sports and Youth Minister Ahmad Donyamali said, “We must be prepared. In any case, it might be decided not to go. And if it is decided to go, we should be prepared anyway,” describing participation and non-participation as still on the table.

The same report said Donyamali noted the final decision would depend on “the conditions that exist today, with the government and probably the National Security Council.”

While Iran’s government now says it is fully prepared, the reporting also shows that the question of whether Iran will actually be replaced or excluded has remained active in diplomatic and media channels.

Arab Times Kuwait News said a senior Trump administration envoy urged FIFA to replace Iran with Italy, citing geopolitical tensions and safety concerns, and it reported that the proposal reportedly includes replacing Iran with Italy.

Caspian Post

The same report said no official decision has been announced by FIFA, leaving the situation unresolved as preparations continue.

Al Jazeera described how Iran asked FIFA to move matches from the United States to Mexico and that FIFA rejected the request, after Iran raised the prospect of a “boycott” of the competition.

The Times of India similarly described how Iran’s federation confirmed discussions with FIFA included the possibility of moving those matches to Mexico if security guarantees could not be ensured, but it said Mexican president Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed FIFA rejected the proposal.

In addition to the match-location dispute, Al Jazeera tied the uncertainty to the conflict launched by the United States and Israel on February 28 and to a fragile truce that came into effect on April 8.

It also said rare direct talks in Islamabad on April 11–12 ended without an agreement, and that the ceasefire was later extended by the US as diplomatic efforts continue.

In parallel, the Al Jazeera report said FIFA President Gianni Infantino expected Iran to participate despite the ongoing US-Israeli war on Iran, and it placed Iran’s Group G matches in the United States in June.

Beyond football logistics, Iranian officials linked the World Cup debate to the wider regional conflict and its humanitarian impact, with Mohajerani citing medical treatment for injured people.

“Iran has officially announced that its national institutions are fully prepared for the participation of its football team in the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup”

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TRT World reported that Mohajerani said Iran’s health minister reported that 40,000 injured people had received free medical treatment during what she described as the “third imposed war.”

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Yeni Safak English similarly said Mohajerani noted that the health minister reported 40,000 injured people were treated free of charge during what she described as the “third imposed war.”

Middle East Monitor also reported that Mohajerani said the Ministry of Youth and Sports had ensured arrangements for the team’s participation, and it included the same figure of 40,000 injured people treated free of charge during the “third imposed war.”

The stakes for Iran’s participation remain tied to safety concerns raised by the United States, with Al Jazeera quoting Trump’s “life and safety” concerns and USA Today describing Trump’s warnings that the team may not be safe if it travels.

At the same time, FIFA’s position is that Iran should attend, with Infantino saying “But Iran has to come” and “Sports should be outside of politics.”

The Times of India described how the tournament structure locks Iran’s group-stage schedule into the United States after FIFA rejected the match relocation request, and it quoted Sheinbaum saying FIFA decided the matches “cannot be moved from their original venues.”

For Iran, the immediate consequence is that its preparations are framed as “fully prepared” even as the possibility of non-participation has been acknowledged by Ahmad Donyamali, who said, “We must be prepared” and that it “might be decided not to go.”