Iranian officials to travel to FIFA HQ for World Cup talks ahead of deadline

Iran will dispatch a delegation to FIFA headquarters this month to conduct talks regarding how they can participate at the World Cup. Iran are scheduled to play all three of their group-stage matches in the United States in June, despite the complications arising from the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

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There are now just 46 days until Iran's first Group G game against New Zealand in Los Angeles and, as Iranian Football Federation president Mehdi Taj noted on Friday, "We have many issues to discuss." Taj was unable to attend the FIFA Congress in Canada on Thursday due to his affiliation with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Iran were the only nation not represented at the meeting in Vancouver after Taj was turned away at the border. FIFA have subsequently reached out to the country's football federation to arrange critical discussions in Switzerland, as per The Mirror.

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FIFA secretary general Mattias Grafstrom has set a deadline of May 20 for an Iranian delegation to make their way to Zurich, Switzerland, to hold talks, according to the Associated Press. "Our position is that we will soon have a meeting with FIFA," Taj told Iranian media on Friday.

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Iran are planning to be based in Tucson, Arizona, while in the United States ahead of two games in Los Angeles and one in Seattle. Their presence at the tournament is now being welcomed by U.S. President Donald Trump.

After initially stating it wouldn't be "appropriate" for the Iranians to participate "for their own life and safety", Trump reversed course on Thursday.

"You know what, let them play," he remarked after learning that FIFA president Gianni Infantino stated that Iran would be competing in the World Cup.

"Gianni is fantastic, he's a friend of mine, he talked about it, I said, 'You do whatever you want.' You can have them, you don't have to have them, they probably have a good team. Do they have a good team, do you have any idea?"

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Addressing the FIFA Congress, Infantino declared: "Of course, Iran will be participating at the FIFA World Cup 2026, and of course Iran will play in the United States of America. The reason for that is very simple, dear friends, is because we have to unite. We have to bring people together. It is my responsibility."

Despite a ceasefire holding since early April, relations remain strained between the U.S. and Iran, with the closure of the Straight of Hormuz continuing. Speaking on Friday, Trump commented: "We just had a conversation with Iran. Let's see what happens. But, I would say that I am not happy."

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