Bhubaneswar, March 22: Despite having qualified for the 48-team tournament of the FIFA World Cup 2026, the ongoing grim scenario of West Asia tensions in which the United States of America (USA) and Israel on one side and Iran on the opposite have been unabatedly locking horns for the last 23rd day since February 28 this year, it all appears to be a least chance for belligerent Iran’s national team taking part in it as the venues of the matches have already been scheduled in USA-based Los Angeles and Seattle.
Notably, Iran has reportedly been placed in Group G of the global tournament and the scheduled matches are against Egypt, New Zealand and Belgium in the American cities of Los Angeles and Seattle.
On the contrary, FIFA President Gianni Infantino has already made it clear that the tournament will be held as per the schedule.
As per media reports, the FIFA President is quoted saying, “FIFA is looking forward to all teams participating at the World Cup to compete in a spirit of fair play and mutual respect. We have a schedule. We will soon have the 48 competing teams confirmed, and we want the World Cup to go ahead as scheduled.”
However, Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran (FFIRI) President Mehdi Taj had earlier told media that they were in talks with FIFA seeking for a relocation of their scheduled matches to Mexico in place of USA as FFIRI is amply apprehensive of their national team’s security.
Taj has expressed such serious concerns through his official X (formerly Twitter) post citing, “When Trump has explicitly stated that he cannot ensure the security of the Iranian national team, we will certainly not travel to America. We are currently negotiating with FIFA to hold Iran’s matches in the World Cup in Mexico.”
Similarly, Iran’s Sports Minister Ahmad Donyamali reportedly told their state television, “Under no circumstances can we participate in the FIFA World Cup there in the United States as it assassinated our Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei”.
Thus, the football fraternity and the global spectators are now all agog to wait and watch if Iran would remain conspicuous by its team’s absence from the already scheduled US venues or there would a change as wished by Iran even though the Trump regime allegedly dictates the terms.
