FIFA faces quandary over US and Iran involvement at 2026 World Cup

By&nbspEuronews Arabic

Published connected 26/06/2025 - 15:58 GMT+2•Updated 17:19

FIFA is facing questions astir really it will negociate nan engagement of some nan US and Iran astatine adjacent year's World Cup, conscionable days aft Donald Trump ordered nan bombing of 3 Iranian atomic facilities.

The US became progressive successful nan caller 12-day conflict betwixt Israel and Iran, which ended pinch an American-brokered ceasefire connected Tuesday, erstwhile it dropped bunker-buster bombs connected respective targets wrong Iran complete nan weekend.

The ngo was hailed by nan Trump management arsenic a profound rustle to Iran's atomic programme, contempt a US intelligence study later casting uncertainty connected its effectiveness.

Meanwhile, Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei claimed connected Thursday that nan US had "achieved nary gains from this war".

Amid nan hostility betwixt nan 2 countries, questions person been raised astir nan 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will beryllium co-hosted by nan US and successful which Iran will compete.

Next year, Iran tin only debar matches successful nan US if they are placed successful Group A, which is exclusively played successful Mexico, different of nan tournament's 3 hosts.

According to nan tourney system, if Iran tops Group A, it will play its information of 32 and information of 16 matches successful Mexico.

However, if they beforehand further into nan knockout rounds, they would person to move to nan US, perchance opening nan doorway to unprecedented negotiated and information issues.

Under FIFA regulations, location is nary proviso that would forestall Iranians from playing connected US soil, moreover though nan Trump management precocious imposed a recreation prohibition connected Iranian nationals. An exemption could use to Iran's shot squad and its staff.

Internal FIFA consultations are expected to beryllium held up of nan tie for nan tourney successful December.

The last determination connected nan groupings will beryllium made by nan FIFA Council, which is chaired by nan organisation's President Gianni Infantino, who has adjacent ties to Trump.

The FIFA Competitions Organising Committee - which includes representatives from nan hosts Canada, Mexico and Iran and which is chaired by UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin - will play an advisory role.

The European position could group a precedent, arsenic UEFA decided successful 2022 to abstracted Ukraine and Belarus successful nan tie for European competitions, pursuing Russia's penetration of Ukraine.

Euronews has reached retired to FIFA for remark astir nan US and Iran's engagement astatine adjacent year's tournament.

The Iranian nationalist squad secured its qualification to nan World Cup for nan 4th consecutive clip successful March.

It competed successful nan past tourney successful Qatar successful 2022, wherever it faced its American counterpart successful a lucifer that attracted wide governmental and media attention.