FIFA president Gianni Infantino provided an update on the upcoming World Cup amid the ongoing conflict between hosts the United States and Iran.
Gianni Infantino allied with Donald Trump (Image: FIFA via Getty Images)
Coach Gianni Infantino has declared that the World Cup will go ahead as scheduled, with no last-minute changes due to the ongoing conflict between the United States and Iran. With 84 days until the tournament, the war in the Middle East shows no signs of slowing down.
Iran has qualified for the World Cup and will face New Zealand and Belgium in Los Angeles and Egypt in Seattle. They are calling for the games to be moved to Mexico after US President Donald Trump said it was “not appropriate” for Iranians to compete “for their own lives and safety.”
But FIFA President Infantino has consistently refused to get involved in the idea of changing plans due to the conflict between the United States, its ally Israel, and Iran, which has engulfed much of the Middle East. He recently claimed the World Cup would be an “all-hands-on-deck party” and now he has given a clear hint that Iran will set foot on American soil in June.
“While FIFA cannot resolve geopolitical conflicts, we are committed to using the power of football and the FIFA World Cup to build bridges and promote peace, out of respect for those suffering as a result of ongoing wars,” Infantino told the FIFA Executive Board in Zurich.
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“FIFA expects all teams participating in the FIFA World Cup to compete in a spirit of fair play and mutual respect. We have a schedule. The 48 participating teams will soon be finalized and we hope that the FIFA World Cup will be held as scheduled.”
Iran’s stance on qualifying for the World Cup has changed since the war began in early March. Sports and Youth Minister Ahmad Donyamali said shortly after Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei was killed in an airstrike that he would not travel for the tournament.
But that stance has changed, with Iranian soccer president Mehdi Taji telling Fars news agency: “We will boycott America, but not the World Cup.”
Iran threatened to boycott the World Cup (Image: ATTA KENARE/AFP via Getty Images)
Taj said earlier this week that negotiations were underway to move the game from the United States to neighboring Mexico. “If President Trump makes it clear that he cannot guarantee the safety of the Iranian national team, we will definitely not go to the United States,” he said on social media. “We are negotiating with FIFA to host Iran’s World Cup matches in Mexico.”
Afterwards, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum told a press conference: “Yes, Mexico maintains diplomatic relations with all countries of the world, so we will wait for FIFA’s decision.”
However, FIFA appears to have rejected the idea. Mr Infantino, an ally of Mr Trump who won the FIFA Peace Prize in December, previously said Iran would “welcome” to participate in the 48-team tournament. This time it looks like it will be in the US mainland.
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