FIFA President Gianni Infantino confirmed on Wednesday that U.S. President Donald Trump assured him during a meeting on Tuesday evening that the Iranian national team will be welcomed to the upcoming World Cup this summer. Infantino wrote on his Instagram account: "During our discussions, President Trump reaffirmed that the Iranian team is definitely welcome to participate in the tournament, which is co-hosted by the United States along with its neighbors Canada and Mexico." The White House confirmed on Wednesday the statements made by Trump to Infantino. The Italian-Swiss official also added: "During a meeting to discuss tournament preparations, we also talked about the current situation in Iran," without clarifying that doubts about Iran's participation in the World Cup arose following U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran since February 28, which were followed by blatant Iranian attacks on regional countries. The Iranian team, drawn into Group 7, is expected to play its three first-round matches against Belgium, Egypt, and New Zealand on U.S. soil (two matches in Los Angeles and one in Seattle), while its base during the tournament is expected to be in Tucson, Arizona. In the event of Iran's withdrawal, it would be the first time this has happened since France and India withdrew from the 1950 finals in Brazil. Just hours after the attack began, President of the Iranian Football Federation Mehdi Taj hinted at the possibility of boycotting the finals, stating that the final decision rests with the country's "sports authorities." Some observers had suggested that the U.S. might refuse to host the Iranian team for security reasons, but this scenario appears to have been ruled out based on what Infantino relayed from Trump on Wednesday. Infantino, who is close to the U.S. president, said: "We all now more than ever need an event like the World Cup to bring people together. I sincerely thank the President of the United States for his support, because this once again proves that football unites the world." It is known that Infantino is close to Trump, as he was the only sports official to attend the U.S. president's inauguration, and last year he presented him with the "FIFA Peace Prize," created specifically for this occasion, without revealing the criteria for its award.
