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Iran confirms proud participation in the Cup despite conflict with US
TL;DR
Iran's national football team will participate in the World Cup in the US, despite recent military tensions. The Iranian government confirmed their readiness for the tournament starting June 11.
Key points
- Iran's national football team will participate in the World Cup.
- Participation confirmed despite US military tensions.
- Tournament starts on June 11.
- Concerns over travel due to recent military attacks.
- Fatemeh Mohejerani is the government spokesperson.
Mentioned in this story
Iranian governmentFatemeh MohejeraniUnited StatesIsrael
Iran national football teamWorld Cup
Iran confirms proud participation in the Cup, despite conflict with the US
Iranâs menâs national football team is preparing for a âproud and successful participationâ in its World Cup matches in the United States in the middle of the year, as confirmed by the Iranian government itself.
The teamâs ability and willingness to travel to North America for the tournament, which begins on June 11, had been called into question after military attacks launched by the US and Israel on February 28.
Iranian government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohejerani told state TV that the country is nevertheless ready for the competition.
âThe Ministry of Youth and Sports has announced the full preparedness of our national football team for participation in the 2026 World Cup in the US, by order of the minister.â Mohejerani added that âthe necessary preparations that these dear [players] need for the teamâs proud and successful participation have been completed.â
Fifa, for its part, has consistently maintained that Iran will follow the World Cup schedule set last December, rejecting suggestions to move the teamâs matches to Mexico.
Fifa president Gianni Infantino has always maintained that Iran would play in the World Cup. An important development took place on March 31, when Infantino met with Iranian officials and players in Turkey, where the national team had been playing warm-up friendlies against Nigeria and Costa Rica.
Although the Iranian football league was suspended because of the conflict, the national teamâs official Instagram account recently posted images of a training session in Tehran.
Footballâs governing body had committed to helping find an overseas training center for the team (possibly in Turkey itself), but Fifa has not yet confirmed the official details of that setup.
Iran has two group-stage matches scheduled at the Los Angeles Ramsâ stadium in Inglewood, against New Zealand and Belgium, before traveling to Seattle to face .
Q&A
What did Iran confirm about its participation in the World Cup?
Iran confirmed its participation in the World Cup in the US, emphasizing a proud and successful approach despite recent conflicts.
When does the World Cup tournament start for Iran?
The World Cup tournament for Iran begins on June 11.
What recent events raised concerns about Iran's participation in the World Cup?
Concerns arose due to military attacks launched by the US and Israel on February 28, which questioned Iran's ability to travel for the tournament.
Who is the spokesperson for the Iranian government regarding the World Cup?
The spokesperson for the Iranian government is Fatemeh Mohejerani, who confirmed the country's readiness for the competition.
