President of football’s world governing body, FIFA, Gianni Infantino, has reiterated that Iran will take part in the 2026 World Cup, despite ongoing geopolitical tensions involving the country.

Speaking at CNBC’s Invest in America Forum, Infantino said Iran’s participation in the tournament remains certain, stressing the importance of keeping football separate from political conflicts.

“The Iranian team is coming for sure, yes,” he said. “We hope that by then, of course, the situation will be a peaceful situation. That would definitely help. But Iran has to come. They have qualified. The players want to play.”

His comments come amid heightened uncertainty surrounding Iran’s participation following recent military tensions involving the United States and Israel.

Infantino also revealed that he met with members of the Iranian national team in Antalya, Turkey, two weeks earlier, describing them as a strong and motivated side eager to compete on the global stage.

“I went to see them. They are actually quite a good team as well, and they really want to play and they should play,” he said, adding that sport should be kept outside political disputes.

However, he acknowledged the difficulty of fully separating sport from global politics, noting that efforts must still be made to maintain dialogue and connection between nations.

“We don’t live on the moon, we live on planet Earth,” he said. “But if there is no one else building bridges, we are doing that job.”

The 2026 World Cup will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Iran is expected to play two of its group-stage matches in Inglewood, California, and one in Seattle.