FIFA Assigns Iran to Play 2026 World Cup Group Matches in US

Iran's national soccer team is scheduled to play its group-stage matches in the United States during the 2026 World Cup, according to a statement by FIFA President Gianni Infantino at the FIFA World Congress in Vancouver, Canada, on Thursday.

The team will face New Zealand on June 15 at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, Belgium on June 21 at the same stadium, and Egypt on June 26 at Lumen Field in Seattle, as outlined in the unchanged match schedule released by FIFA.

"Let me start at the outset confirming, straightaway for those who maybe want to say something else or want to write something else, that of course Iran will be participating at the FIFA World Cup 2026. And of course Iran will play in the United States of America," Infantino said, according to a report by Fox News.

The confirmation comes amid ongoing political tensions between the United States and Iran. Canadian authorities denied entry to a delegation of Iranian football officials, including the federation president, ahead of the congress, citing Canada's designation of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization.

FIFA noted that host nations manage their own border policies. Iran's government has not publicly commented on the FIFA confirmation or the match schedule as of Thursday, based on available reports.

Protesters outside the congress called for FIFA to ban Iran from the tournament. "This is not Iran, this is the Islamic Republic’s team. This is IRGC’s team," said Pouria Mahmoudi, an organizer with Mission for My Homeland, in a statement reported by Al-Monitor.

U.S. President Trump said Iran can participate in the World Cup matches in the United States following the FIFA announcement, according to Al Jazeera.

In a separate development, President Trump stated that the United States is considering reducing the number of its troops in Germany, amid a dispute with Germany's chancellor related to the conflict in Iran. Germany's government said it is "prepared" for any possible reduction in U.S. troops, as reported by France 24.

The U.S. currently maintains tens of thousands of troops in Germany, according to CBS News. No publicly released details from the U.S. government have specified the timeline or scale of any potential troop reduction as of Thursday.

FIFA has stated its commitment to uniting nations through soccer, despite external political factors. Fans from certain countries may encounter travel restrictions when attending matches in host nations.