Iran government says men’s soccer team is preparing for ‘proud participation’ at World Cup in US

GENEVA: An Iranian government spokesperson says the men’s national team are preparing for “proud and successful participation” in their World Cup games in the United States.
Iran’s ability and willingness to go to the World Cup across north America starting June 11 has been unclear since the US and Israel launched military attacks Feb. 28.
“The Ministry of Youth and Sports made an announcement about the full preparedness of our national soccer team for presence in the 2026 World Cup in the US, by the order of the minister,” Iranian government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohejerani told Iran’s state TV on Wednesday.
FIFA has consistently said Iran will stick to the World Cup game schedule decided last December, and refused to negotiate any suggestion of playing the team’s games in Mexico.
Progress was made March 31 when FIFA President Gianni Infantino went to meet Iranian soccer leaders and players in Turkiye where the team had two warmup games.
Though the Iranian soccer league has shut down during the war, the team’s official Instagram account posted photos this week of a practice in Tehran.
Mohejerani added Wednesday “the necessary arrangements that these dear ones need for the team’s proud and successful participation, (have been made).”
Infantino promised the Iranian team three weeks ago he would help find a training camp outside of the country for the team to prepare for the World Cup.