LAUSANNE.- The head of the FIFA, Gianni Infantinoassured this Wednesday that the American president, donald trumppromised him during a conversation on Tuesday night that he will unhindered the Iranian team in the World football 2026 to be held in North America.
Infantino mentioned “the situation in Iran” for the first time, without specifying whether the uncertainty surrounding his participation in the biggest soccer event, from June 11 to July 19, was due to the American and Israeli attacks on February 28 against the country, which unleashed a war in Middle East and the death of the ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
“During our conversation, President Trump reiterated that the Iranian team is certainly welcome to play in the tournament in USA“, co-organized with Mexico and Canadawrote the Italian-Swiss leader on his Instagram account.
The terms of the conversation between Trump and Infantino were later confirmed by the White House.
Hours before the publication of the FIFA patron, the Iranian Sports Minister, Ahmad Doyanmalionce again questioned his country’s participation in the competition.
“Knowing that this corrupt government has murdered our leader, the conditions are not met to participate in the World Cup. “Our children (the national team players) are not safe at all,” he said on Iranian television.
“Taking into account the damaging actions that they (the United States) have carried out against Iran, imposing two wars on us in eight or nine months and causing the death of several thousand of our compatriots, it is impossible for us to participate in this tournament,” he added.
Boycott threat
These statements are in line with those made by other Iranian officials since the beginning of the conflict.
Just a few hours after the first attacks, the president of the Iranian Football Federation, Mehdi Tajalready raised the hypothesis of a boycott of the competition, although he said that the country’s “sports authorities” would have the last word.
“These events will not go unanswered (…). But what is certain at this moment is that, with this attack and this cruelty, we cannot look forward to the World Cup with hope,” he said then on Iranian television. “Who in their right mind would send their national team to a place like that?” he added.
Three days later, in an interview with the media outlet Politico on March 3, Trump responded when asked about Team Melli’s presence in the World Cup: “I don’t care at all. I think Iran is a severely defeated country. They are at the limit of their strength.”
Some analysts have also mentioned the possibility that the United States refused to host the Iranians for security reasons, since their three group stage matches are scheduled in large American cities such as Los Angeles and Seattle.
“We all need, more than ever, an event like the FIFA World Cup to unite people, and I sincerely thank the president of the United States for his support, because it shows once again that football unites the world,” Infantino insisted.
The president of FIFA, the only sports leader present at Trump’s inauguration, regularly shows his closeness to the American president, to the point of having given him a FIFA Peace Prize whose criteria have never been specified.
Asylum in Australia
If Iran does not participate in the great quadrennial football event, it would be the first time that has happened since France and India they withdrew from the 1950 finals in Brazil.
Last week, the Iranian women’s team participated in the Asia Cup which is celebrated in Australia and after their participation in the tournament, several players requested asylum in the oceanic country after state television reproached them for not singing the anthem before one of the matches played.
Five players, including the captain Zahra Ghanbariescaped from the team’s hotel and asked the Australian authorities for refuge, the Australian government announced.
According to local media, at least two more members of the team also requested to stay, although the Minister of the Interior, Tony Burkespecified this Wednesday that one of them has changed her mind.
