FIFA president Gianni Infantino has confirmed that Iran will participate in the 2026 World Cup despite ongoing tensions with the United States. The Middle Eastern nation qualified as one of Asia's top teams in March 2025, but questions arose after the conflict began on February 28 about Iran's willingness to travel to the US for matches.

Iran was initially expected to play all three group-stage games in the US, with matches scheduled at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, and Lumen Field in Seattle. Iranian officials had suggested the team might not travel or that games should be moved to Mexico, but FIFA rejected these requests. Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed FIFA's decision to keep Iran's games in the US.

Infantino emphasized that sports should remain separate from politics, stating that Iran "represents their people" and the players want to compete. He visited the Iranian team during a training camp in Antalya, Türkiye, where players expressed their desire to participate. The Iranian delegation is scheduled to arrive at its Tucson, Arizona training camp by June 10 for the June 11-July 19 tournament.