‘No Plan B, C or D’—FIFA President Takes Firm Stance on Iran’s World Cup Participation

Gianni Infantino has weighed in on the prospect of Iran boycotting the tournament which will be co-hosted by the U.S.

Gianni Infantino has spoken out on Iran’s participation. | Harry Murphy-UEFA/UEFA/Getty Images

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has made it abundantly clear that he expects Iran to participate at this summer’s World Cup, insisting there is “no plan B, C or D” when presented with alternative suggestions to the schedule going ahead as previously outlined.

Iran’s involvement has been called into question amid the ongoing conflict with the U.S., one of the three World Cup co-hosts alongside Mexico and Canada. There have been several contradictory statements released by different Iranian officials across the month of March, veering from a complete withdrawal to defiant participation. A major complicating factor is that all three of Iran’s group games are set to be staged in the U.S.

Mehdi Taj, president of the Iran soccer federation, summed up the nation’s most recent stance: “We will boycott America, but we will not boycott the World Cup.”

Infantino outlined FIFA’s official position in an interview with N+ Univision. “There is no Plan B, C or D. There is only Plan A,” he said. “FIFA cannot resolve geopolitical conflicts; we are a sports organization. However, we use the power of soccer to build bridges.

“Our thoughts are with everyone suffering from these wars, but we expect all teams to compete in a spirit of fair play and mutual respect according to the set itinerary.”

---

Infantino Appears to Rule Out Venue Changes

Iran’s World Cup participation has been thrown into disarray. | AFP/Getty Images

One compromise raised to smooth Iran’s participation has been the prospect of staging the nation’s venues outside the U.S. Mexico president Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo has opened up the co-hosts as a willing venue, yet Infantino appears to have ruled out that possibility.

“We are in regular contact with the Iranian Football Federation, as we are with all 48 participating associations,” he said. “But I want to be very clear: we have a schedule. This schedule was announced in December 2025, and our principle is to proceed as planned.

“We want the World Cup to go ahead as scheduled. We have seen the passion of the Iranian fans, and we believe the team earns its place on the pitch.

“We are working to ensure the best possible conditions for every team, but the tournament locations are fixed. The world expects a total party, and that is what we will deliver in all 16 host cities.”

---

Iran Bans Travel to ‘Hostile’ Territory

Iran qualified for the World Cup back in March 2025. | Fatemeh Bahrami/Anadolu/Getty Images

Earlier in March, the Iran sports ministry banned the nation’s various teams from traveling to countries deemed “hostile.”

“The presence of national and club teams in ​countries considered hostile and unable to ensure the security of ​Iranian athletes and team members is prohibited until further ⁠notice,” a statement from the ministry read, as quoted by Reuters.

There was no explicit mention of the U.S. but Iran’s safety on American soil has been a point of concern. President Donald Trump recently deemed that it would not be “appropriate” for Iran to attend this summer’s tournament “for their own life and safety.”

This comment provoked the national team’s official Instagram account to post a statement warning: “No one can exclude Iran’s national team from the World Cup; the only country that could be excluded is one that merely carries the title of ‘host’ yet lacks the ability to provide security for the teams participating in this global event.”

Trump quickly responded by insisting on social media that the World Cup “will be the Greatest and Safest Sporting Event in American History.”

---